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Finland: No NATO Membership Anytime Soon
Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen has dismissed any prospect, immediate or short-term, of the government supporting a move to join NATO. Moreover, Katainen said that the administration's need to trim spending on defense, as part of its new Economy Management Plan, was not a sufficient justification to seek membership of the alliance.
Katainen was responding to comments by Defense Minister Stefan Wallin, who said Aug. 10 that inflicting more cuts on the military might drive the government to see NATO membership and associated cost-sharing as one way to maintain national defense.
"Any decision to join a military alliance would be made purely on the basis of political and security policy considerations," Katainen said. "We have clear policy guidelines in the new program for government, and under these we will not be contemplating military alignment in this electoral term."
Finland's new conservative-left government was elected to office in June on a platform of fiscal correctness and public spending cuts aimed at maintaining economic recovery and reducing a troubling national debt. The country's next parliamentary elections are to be held in 2015.
Katainen said the debate on military reforms and Finland's defense and security relationships with both NATO and its Nordic neighbors will continue in the context of practical cooperation over the next four years.
Wallin warned that further cuts in military spending could weaken the country's national defense capability to the point where basic functions, such as exercises, training and equipment procurement activity across all branches would need to be curtailed.
The armed forces has been allocated a budget of $4.2 billion in 2011. Under the government's plan for public expenditure cuts, spending is to be reduced by up to $350 million from 2012-15.
"Every major cost cut that is made in the defense budget from now on adds to the arguments in favor of Finland becoming militarily aligned," Wallin said. "While the program for government does not specifically state that we should plan to join the alliance, it does leave open the possibility to apply for membership in NATO, and that would require the support of the Finnish electorate."
Wallin's view that NATO membership could help reduce Finland's military bill by sharing costs with the alliance is mistaken, said Seppo Kääriäinen, the deputy chairman of the parliament's Defense Committee and a member of the opposition Center Party.
"In my opinion, joining NATO would actually result in the government having to increase the Finnish defense budget, as it would put added pressure on Finland to become involved in more international conflict deployments and combat missions," Kääriäinen said.
Finland: No NATO Membership Anytime Soon - Defense News
Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen has dismissed any prospect, immediate or short-term, of the government supporting a move to join NATO. Moreover, Katainen said that the administration's need to trim spending on defense, as part of its new Economy Management Plan, was not a sufficient justification to seek membership of the alliance.
Katainen was responding to comments by Defense Minister Stefan Wallin, who said Aug. 10 that inflicting more cuts on the military might drive the government to see NATO membership and associated cost-sharing as one way to maintain national defense.
"Any decision to join a military alliance would be made purely on the basis of political and security policy considerations," Katainen said. "We have clear policy guidelines in the new program for government, and under these we will not be contemplating military alignment in this electoral term."
Finland's new conservative-left government was elected to office in June on a platform of fiscal correctness and public spending cuts aimed at maintaining economic recovery and reducing a troubling national debt. The country's next parliamentary elections are to be held in 2015.
Katainen said the debate on military reforms and Finland's defense and security relationships with both NATO and its Nordic neighbors will continue in the context of practical cooperation over the next four years.
Wallin warned that further cuts in military spending could weaken the country's national defense capability to the point where basic functions, such as exercises, training and equipment procurement activity across all branches would need to be curtailed.
The armed forces has been allocated a budget of $4.2 billion in 2011. Under the government's plan for public expenditure cuts, spending is to be reduced by up to $350 million from 2012-15.
"Every major cost cut that is made in the defense budget from now on adds to the arguments in favor of Finland becoming militarily aligned," Wallin said. "While the program for government does not specifically state that we should plan to join the alliance, it does leave open the possibility to apply for membership in NATO, and that would require the support of the Finnish electorate."
Wallin's view that NATO membership could help reduce Finland's military bill by sharing costs with the alliance is mistaken, said Seppo Kääriäinen, the deputy chairman of the parliament's Defense Committee and a member of the opposition Center Party.
"In my opinion, joining NATO would actually result in the government having to increase the Finnish defense budget, as it would put added pressure on Finland to become involved in more international conflict deployments and combat missions," Kääriäinen said.
Finland: No NATO Membership Anytime Soon - Defense News
