kontulib
August 22nd, 2002, 01:37 PM
The new Finnish foreign policy challenge: how to deal with the United States
Finnish-Swedish cooperation praised at ambassadors' meeting
The overpowering position of the United States in a unipolar world, the unilateral actions taken by the single superpower, and Finland's attitude toward the USA were seen as new challenges for Finnish foreign policy during a panel discussion arranged by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki on Wednesday.
The discussion was held in connection with the Foreign Ministry's annual meeting of ambassadors. A new feature was that the discussions by foreign policy experts could be followed in the Internet.
Promoting a goal of greater openness, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs also invited a number of other influential figures in society from outside the foreign policy community to discuss the issues - from Lauri Ihalainen, president of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), to cellist Seppo Kimanen.
Some recent US actions, such as refusing to join the Kyoto Climate Treaty, have been sharply criticised by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (Soc. Dem.). The issue of the only superpower being a challenge to Finland was unexpectedly raised by the Minister for Foreign Trade Jari Vilén (Nat. Coalition). The increased tension between the European Union and the USA was also taken up by the chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Liisa Jaakonsaari (Soc. Dem.).
The panellists came up with two approaches to deal with the US challenge: strengthening the EU and the United Nations, and placing a greater emphasis on the roles of other international organisations.
This was also the message of President Tarja Halonen to the assembled ambassadors.
"Supporting a multi-centred system - and the UN - will continue to be a high priority in Finnish foreign and security policy. Let us work for it", Halonen said.
Sweden's Foreign Minister Anna Lindh emphasised that the United States must not start a war against Iraq on its own. Instead, she said that the Iraqi question should be decided at the UN.
While the United States may now be a foreign policy challenge for Finland, Sweden definitely is not. Foreign Ministers Lindh and Tuomioja were both quite effusive in their praise of the good relations between the two countries and their cooperation in foreign policy matters.
Anna Lindh said that one reason behind the close ties may be the foreign policy definition - that of military non-alignment, which Sweden has also adopted. Lindh sees no reason for joining NATO.
Lindh also gave a review of Sweden's current foreign policy doctrine, under which Sweden plans to be neutral in conflicts that take place in nearby areas. "If Finland gets into trouble, Sweden will again remain neutral", was the comment of a few experienced Finnish diplomats during a break.
Tuomioja said that he does not expect the NATO issue to become a theme during next year's parliamentary election campaign.
Jaakonsaari disagreed with this assessment. She said that security policy should be an election issue, and that responding to new security policy challenges requires the approval of the people as expressed in the elections.
President Halonen pointed out that Finns still have a strong desire for national consensus on foreign and security policy issues. "Sometimes this has been brought out by remaining silent together", Halonen explained.
Finnish-Swedish cooperation praised at ambassadors' meeting
The overpowering position of the United States in a unipolar world, the unilateral actions taken by the single superpower, and Finland's attitude toward the USA were seen as new challenges for Finnish foreign policy during a panel discussion arranged by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Helsinki on Wednesday.
The discussion was held in connection with the Foreign Ministry's annual meeting of ambassadors. A new feature was that the discussions by foreign policy experts could be followed in the Internet.
Promoting a goal of greater openness, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs also invited a number of other influential figures in society from outside the foreign policy community to discuss the issues - from Lauri Ihalainen, president of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), to cellist Seppo Kimanen.
Some recent US actions, such as refusing to join the Kyoto Climate Treaty, have been sharply criticised by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja (Soc. Dem.). The issue of the only superpower being a challenge to Finland was unexpectedly raised by the Minister for Foreign Trade Jari Vilén (Nat. Coalition). The increased tension between the European Union and the USA was also taken up by the chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Liisa Jaakonsaari (Soc. Dem.).
The panellists came up with two approaches to deal with the US challenge: strengthening the EU and the United Nations, and placing a greater emphasis on the roles of other international organisations.
This was also the message of President Tarja Halonen to the assembled ambassadors.
"Supporting a multi-centred system - and the UN - will continue to be a high priority in Finnish foreign and security policy. Let us work for it", Halonen said.
Sweden's Foreign Minister Anna Lindh emphasised that the United States must not start a war against Iraq on its own. Instead, she said that the Iraqi question should be decided at the UN.
While the United States may now be a foreign policy challenge for Finland, Sweden definitely is not. Foreign Ministers Lindh and Tuomioja were both quite effusive in their praise of the good relations between the two countries and their cooperation in foreign policy matters.
Anna Lindh said that one reason behind the close ties may be the foreign policy definition - that of military non-alignment, which Sweden has also adopted. Lindh sees no reason for joining NATO.
Lindh also gave a review of Sweden's current foreign policy doctrine, under which Sweden plans to be neutral in conflicts that take place in nearby areas. "If Finland gets into trouble, Sweden will again remain neutral", was the comment of a few experienced Finnish diplomats during a break.
Tuomioja said that he does not expect the NATO issue to become a theme during next year's parliamentary election campaign.
Jaakonsaari disagreed with this assessment. She said that security policy should be an election issue, and that responding to new security policy challenges requires the approval of the people as expressed in the elections.
President Halonen pointed out that Finns still have a strong desire for national consensus on foreign and security policy issues. "Sometimes this has been brought out by remaining silent together", Halonen explained.