Parliament gives approval to NRF participation

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The Finnish Parliament on Friday gave its approval on Friday to Finnish participation in the NATO Response Force (NRF).
     A counterproposal by the Left Alliance, to keep Finland out of the NRF, was rejected by a vote of 130-23. Joining the Left Alliance were the True Finns and two Social Democrats.
     Finland has long taken part in NATO exercises, but it has not been a participant in any actual operations.
     
Finland's future participation in the NRF is restricted somewhat; as a member of the Partnership for Peace, and not a full member of NATO, Finland will only be supplying supplementary forces for joint operations.
     Also limiting participation is the fact that Finland has opted out of the rotation system, and will offer forces for use, at its own, when the forces for each particular operation are compiled.
     Finland's decision will be taken to the NATO summit to be held in Bucharest next week.
     Finland's decision will be brought to the NATO summit in Bucharest later this week. Sweden, which has prepared for a similar decision alongside Finland, has postponed its decision until next week.
     
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said on Friday that Sweden never sought to join the NRF simultaneously with Finland.
     Finland had assumed that Sweden would have wanted to have a decision ready on taking part in the NRF by the time that the NATO Bucharest summit takes place. When no decision was forthcoming, it came as a surprise to Finland.
      Foreign Minister Bildt noted in Slovenia, that although Finland made its NRF decision first, Sweden has proceeded at a faster pace in some decisions. For instance, Sweden recognised Kosovo before Finland did.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland sticking to NRF decision despite Swedish delay (27.3.2008)
  Raimo Väyrynen: NRF rotation compatible with Finnish EU role (18.3.2008)
  NATO Response Force splits both government and opposition parties (12.3.2008)

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