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Roundup: French initiative to use EU security guarantees seen as positive in Finland

Xinhua, November 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

The French decision to activate the security guarantees of the European Union (EU) was welcomed by Finnish leaders, albeit under the current legislation Finland cannot offer military assistance.

However, news broke on Tuesday that Finland is speeding up changes in the law, in order to make military involvement abroad possible within the EU guarantee system.

Talking to the media, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said the Finnish contribution is initially likely to be cooperation with the police forces.

Niinisto commented also on the announcement in Russia that the crash by a Russian passenger liner in the Siniai two weeks ago was caused by explosive.

The Finnish president saw similarities in the messages from Moscow and Paris. "Besides grief, they also reflect determination about overcoming terrorism," Niinisto noted, expressing hope for a wide international unanimity.

Both Niinisto and the chairman of the Parliamentary Defense Committee Ilkka Kanerva said that France could have also turned towards NATO for help, but this was not done.

More openly than politicians, Finnish media commentators said that the discussion about a joint defense of Europe can only be a positive matter both for Finland and Sweden.

"Besides France, these two countries have been among the few countries interested in discussing joint EU security policy," said Juha Koivula, a researcher at the Defense University.

"Many NATO countries have considered the discussion about EU military assistance as mere words, while Finland and Sweden have shown interest in discussing actually what mutual assistance would mean. But they have been rather alone with their thinking in the EU," Koivula said.

Researcher Koivula noted France invoked now the "tougher" clause on assistance and not the "lighter" clause on joint responsibility that specifically mentions terrorism and natural catastrophes. "France is seeking for a wider meaning and wants to resurrect the discussion about EU security policy," Koivula said.

Finnish government has been preparing legislation that would allow military presence abroad. The bill will now be given added momentum and will be submitted in early 2016. Endit