Opposition conservatives break ranks over defence policy

Parliament to vote on government defence report

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During Parliamentary debate on the government's recent report on foreign and security policy on Monday, the largest opposition group, the conservative National Coalition Party, distanced itself from the current official stance, as laid out in the government's report on defence and security policy. In the party's view, Parliament should issue a statement, according to which Finland can no longer be considered a "militarily non-allied country in the traditional sense".
      Parliament is to vote Tuesday afternoon on whether or not Finland should consider itself militarily non-allied.
      According to National Coalition Party chairman Jyrki Katainen, the policy changed when the European Union became a "defence community" with a solidarity clause and security guarantees.
      The government and President Tarja Halonen emphasised Finland's continued status as a non-allied country in the defence policy report which was submitted to Parliament in September.
      The government and the Parliament's Defence Committee want to adhere to the notion of a militarily non-allied status, because Finland is not a member of NATO. In its statement on the government's report, the Defence Committee noted that the EU is not a military alliance.
      Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) said on Monday that remaining militarily non-allied is still Finland's solution for defence.
     
The National Coalition Party did not directly propose joining NATO. "However, in the future we will see that NATO membership would strengthen our position in international politics and our security", Katainen pointed out.
      Jouni Backman, the chairman of the Parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Party, emphasised that the SDP unambiguously supports the line taken by the government and President. However, Social Democratic MP Liisa Jaakonsaari, who chairs the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, stuck to her pro-NATO stance. "Who are we trying to convince with our non-allied status? Who is asking us about it?" Jaakonsaari asked in her critical speech.
      Jaakonsaari sparked a few laughs on Monday by calling NATO the "secret lover" of Finnish security policy. Jaakko Laakso of the Left Alliance suggested a term more in tune with the idea of a truly scurrilous adulterous relationship.
     
Parliament revealed a stark lack of unanimity on defence matters. On Tuesday Parliament is scheduled to vote on approximately 25 different issues, such as giving up infantry land mines, the nature of the mandate that would be required for taking part in crisis management operations, the establishment of regional defence forces, and who would make the final decisions on the shutting down of military garrisons.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Intervention by President topples conservative NATO operation (20.12.2004)
  "Non-allied" has become an empty and unnecessary phrase (29.9.2004)

Helsingin Sanomat