Parliamentary Defence Committee: Finland is militarily non-allied

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In the latest statement in the ongoing debate over whether or not Finland has become allied or otherwise through its involvement in EU defence forces, the Parliamentary Defence Committee noted on Tuesday that it adheres to the government’s own definition that Finland’s defence rests on military non-allied status.
      The Committee members, currently engaged in filing a memorandum on the government’s Report on Security and Defence Policy, thus take a different line from their counterparts on the Foreign Affairs Committee, who did not concur with the view of non-allied status in their own submission over the report.
      The Defence Committee met on Tuesday with President Tarja Halonen, who stressed she stood behind the government’s appraisal of the matter. According to the President, the country’s line is not something that can be changed from one week to the next.
      In the view of a majority of the Defence Committee’s 17 members, the country is militarily non-allied because Finland is not a NATO member. The Defence Committee Chairman, Kauko Juhantalo (Centre Party), commented that the viewpoint will be expressed in the body’s memorandum, which will soon be completed.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finns approve of EU combat forces - sharp differences between men and women (29.11.2004)
  PM Vanhanen: EU authorisation sufficient for crisis operation (17.11.2004)
  "Non-allied" has become an empty and unnecessary phrase (Editorial, 5.10.2004)

Helsingin Sanomat