SDP leader: No NATO membership without clear benefits

Eero Heinäluoma

print this

Social Democratic Party chairman, Finance Minister Eero Heinäluoma says that the only determining factor for possible Finnish membership in NATO is whether or not such a move would strengthen Finnish security. If there were no benefit from membership, Heinäluoma feels that it would be better to continue on the present course.
      "NATO membership should be examined primarily from the point of view of Finnish security, taking into consideration the state of our security environment, the direction that changes in NATO are taking, and the development of cooperation within the EU", Heinäluoma said in an address to the Paasikivi Society, a prestigious foreign policy discussion forum.
      Heinäluoma emphasised that the effect on the defence budget should not be a factor in the debate, because the impact would be small in any case.
      He also said that the possible reactions of Russia are not a good reason for staying outside the alliance, and that the threat posed by Russia is not a good reason for joining.
      He added that any decision to join NATO should take place as the result of an open debate in connection with Parliamentary elections, or through a national referendum.
      Heinäluoma feels that a referendum would be necessary if Finland is confronted with a decision on the matter in the middle of a Parliamentary term - that is, if the government’s security and defence policy report of 2008 calls for such a move. He says that this could happen if there are changes in the security environment, or if the character of NATO changes.
     
The Social Democratic Party is not ideologically opposed to NATO membership, nor is it seeking a mandate from the nation for membership in the upcoming Parliamentary elections next spring.
      According to Heinäluoma, the party is leaning on the policy line set out by the security and defence policy report of 2004, according to which applying for NATO membership is a possibility for Finland in the future as well.
      "It could well be that the security policy line that we have now chosen - which includes a developing European security cooperation - proves to be sustainable in the long term", he said.
      Heinäluoma emphasised that Finland is not going into NATO through any "secret passage, or unnoticed".
      Commenting on calls for an expanded Partnership for Peace with NATO, Heinäluoma said that such an arrangement would neither reduce, nor increase Finland’s need to join NATO.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Closer cooperation between Finland and Nato could take some time (12.5.2006)

Helsingin Sanomat