Vanhanen in Paris: Finland and France largely agree on EU defence

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Finland and France have a "state of will going in the same direction" on the development of European Union defence, said Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre) on Wednesday after meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris.
      "But France has further-reaching visions", he added.
     
France, which takes over the rotating EU Presidency in July this year, has said that during the six-month term at the helm, it wants to focus on the development of an independent defence capability for the EU.
      France has traditionally been in favour of an independent EU defence, whereas Britain, for instance, has favoured cooperation between the EU and NATO, and close defence ties with the United States.
      While France is a member of NATO, is also outspoken in its dissatisfaction with the far-reaching influence that the USA holds in the Western alliance.
      Vanhanen said that Finland is interested in developing and participating in EU crisis management activities.
      The Finnish Prime Minister also said that he had urged France to promote the launch of negotiations for a cooperation treaty with Russia during the French EU Presidency.
     
Commenting on the proposal of the European Commission for national targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, Vanhanen said the goals were challenging, but not unreasonable from Finland's point of view.
      He was also pleased that energy-intensive industries, such as the paper industry, had been left outside the quota.
     
During his visit, Prime Minister Vanhanen also met with French Prime Minister François Fillon, as well as Christophe de Marger, director-general of the energy company Total, and Christian Noyer, governor of the Bank of France.
      Total is a partner in a natural gas project in the Barents Sea, and Vanhanen expressed the hope that Finland might be able to share in the massive investment.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Poll: Finns oppose expansion of involvement in international crisis management (14.9.2007)
  Government parties disagree on participation in crisis management (3.9.2007)

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