Michael de Laine

Finland’s defence committee chairman lukewarm on Stoltenberg security policy proposals

By Michael de Laine, Copenhagen 13^th February 2009

The chair of the Finnish Parliament’s Defence Committee, is lukewarm to Thorvald Stoltenberg’s security policy proposals for the Nordic countries, while the country’s defence minister finds the proposals “interesting”.

Juha Korkeaoja, the chair of the Finnish Parliament’s Defence Committee, said he is sceptical about Thorvald Stoltenberg’s security policy proposals for the Nordic countries. Finland’s Defence Minister, Jyri Häkämies, found the proposals “interesting”, while Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said the proposed Nordic security clause would primarily involve taking the next step in Nordic mutual solidarity and must not weaken the mutual security of NATO’s members.

According to national broadcaster YLE, Korkeaoja said he is sceptical that the Nordics will manage to pull together the resources required for a pan-Nordic stabilisation force.

The stabilisation force could be dispatched to countries facing internal unrest, states the report. The mission of the Nordic force would be to stabilise the situation in countries embroiled in internal strife. The Nordic force would include military and civilian personnel as well as development work professionals and state-building experts.

Korkeaoja pointed out that Finland is already a member of the EU’s military rapid reaction forces, which are deployed at short notice to conflicts around the world.

Another proposal suggests a pan-Nordic monitoring of Icelandic airspace. The recommendation follows the recent withdrawal of US troops from Keflavik after their 55-year military presence on the island nation.

Korkeaoja is particularly concerned about this notion: “Given Iceland’s far geographical distance, taking on such airspace responsibility is not a simple act. Iceland is moreover a NATO country,” he said.

Korkeaoja emphasised that the report is a collection of ideas – not a basis for decision-making.

Defence Minster Häkämies told the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, “This is a positive proposal, but one that requires consideration and thought, and it should not be overemphasised.”

Häkämies added that cooperation can be implemented in such a way that each country agrees to take responsibility for some specific task, in which it could specialise.

“This is an opportunity to think about what might be done more, in a better fashion, and producing joint benefits,” Häkämies said. “If we want significant cost savings, then we will need to make decisions on specialising, and go deeper.”

While Iceland is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Finland is not. Some commentatros have suggested that Finland would be moving toward NATO membership by accepting these proposals.

“No matter what we say in these matters, someone will always want to raise the NATO spectre,” Häkämies said. “I would simply like to remind people that there is also considerable national support for discussion on Nordic cooperation.”

Häkämies added that the security clause would not automatically mean that if someone attacks Norway, Finland would have to go to war on its behalf.

“I think that, in its own thinking, Norway’s starting point is the security guarantees it enjoys with NATO,” he said. “Perhaps it is better for us not to speculate any more on this matter. It is probably a good idea to think what this could mean for each country.”

Norway’s Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg – Thorvald’s son – said the possible areas of collaboration could be materiel acquisitions, training and service work.

He felt that the security clause would primarily involve taking the next step in Nordic mutual solidarity.

“Naturally, this cannot weaken the mutual solidarity of NATO countries, and, of course, we do not need to go as far as has been gone among the NATO countries,” Jens Stoltenberg said.

Other report recommendations include the development of a Nordic maritime surveillance and rescue operation as well as a Nordic outfit to shield against attack on Nordic information networks.