VZCZCXRO9840
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL
DE RUEHHE #0071/01 0531538
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 221538Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5453
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000071 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/A ANTHONY RUSH AND EUR/RPM AARON COPE 
AND RAPHAEL CARLAND 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2020 
TAGS: AF FI MARR MASS MOPS PREL
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: FEW DETAILS ON FINLAND'S INCREASES, 
PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT REAFFIRMED 
 
REF: A. STATE 14366 
     ¶B. HELSINKI 36 
     ¶C. HELSINKI 21 
 
Classified By: DCM Michael Butler, Reasons 1.4(b) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The details and exact duties of Finland's 
additional military and civilian personnel promised for 
Afghanistan (details reported in reftel B) are not yet 
available.  MFA Afghanistan Envoy Kalkku responded to 
Charge's delivery of reftel A points by reiterating the GOF 
plan to fill its six empty EUPOL slots and to double its 
embassy in Kabul from three to six diplomats.  However, 
Kalkku did relate that Finnish OMLT trainers would now be 
able to operate below the brigade-level.  Parliament received 
the government's report on Afghanistan on February 18, which 
all parties hewing to their previous positions: the NCP and 
Centre strongly supporting increased efforts and the 
opposition SDP against sending more soldiers but recognizing 
the need to be engaged there.   END SUMMARY. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
FEW DETAILS ON ROLES OF MILITARY AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶2. (C) Charge raised reftel A points on February 19 with 
Finnish Special Envoy for Afghanistan Elina Kalkku.  Kalkku 
related that the government's February 18 report to 
parliament on proposed increases in troops and trainers had 
been well-received.  While she did not yet have line-by-line 
CJSOR information for the additional Finnish personnel, the 
additional half-dozen civilian police would top-up Finland's 
EUPOL contingent to 30.  Finland's OMLT trainers would also 
be allowed to operate down to battalion-level, freeing them 
from the present limit of operating at brigade-level.  Kalkku 
reiterated that the MFA was planning to double the size of 
its embassy in Kabul (Note: we understand there are about 
three diplomats there now who focus on development.  End 
Note). 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
PREDICTABLE REACTION FROM PARLIAMENT TO GOV'T REPORT 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) FM Stubb and DefMin Hakamies presented the 
government's report on Afghanistan at a sparsely-attended 
plenary session of parliament (about 20 representatives 
present out of 200) on February 18.  Stubb emphasized that 36 
of 43 ISAF participants were increasing their troop 
contributions, and that Finland's increase was a temporary 
measure (Note: GOF has not stated how long this "temporary 
increase" will last. End Note).  According to Stubb, 
Afghanistan was becoming the primary focus for Finland's 
crisis management efforts with the expected drawdown of its 
forces in KFOR.  Stubb reiterated Finland's justification for 
being involved in Afghanistan (maintaining regional security 
and stability, combating drugs and crime, and solidarity with 
the international community) and was more specific about what 
had been achieved than on previous occasions.  He lauded the 
increase in school attendance, especially among girls, and 
praised the wider provision of health care and the return of 
some 5 million Afghan refugees.  Continuing challenges of 
Taliban violence and corruption in the GIROA needed to be 
addressed, but he assessed that the new Afghan cabinet was 
good overall and that the people generally supported ISAF and 
opposed the Taliban.  Hakamies followed Stubb's presentation 
with an anecdote about his December 2009 visit to a girls' 
school while visiting Finnish troops in Mazar-e-Sharif.  He 
went on to state that, while six months ago he thought ISAF 
"could win", now he thinks "we are winning". 
 
¶4. (SBU) Representatives of each party followed the 
government's report with speeches of their own which largely 
tracked their established positions on Afghanistan. The NCP 
and Centre Party both emphasized the need for comprehensive 
crisis management to protect Finland's interests in peace and 
stability and to facilitate reconstruction and development. 
Both also underlined that Finland's policy was supported not 
just by the government but by the President and the 
parliament.  Green Party MP Pekka Haavisto emphasized the 
lack of a military solution and that Finland was involved to 
support the Aghani government, as contrasted with the U.S., 
which had its own, different, motive for involvement as a 
result of 9/11.  The opposition SDP took the theme of "no 
military solution" one step further, arguing that an increase 
in troops would not help matters.  NCP and Centre 
representatives then criticized the SDP for failing to 
support the increases in military and civilian personnel 
despite the support of President Halonen, formerly of the SDP 
 
HELSINKI 00000071  002 OF 002 
 
 
but officially nonpartisan due to her office.  The opposition 
Left Alliance and True Finns lambasted the presence of 
Finnish soldiers in Afghanistan, portraying the GOF as a 
puppet of the U.S. and NATO.  The Left Alliance bizarrely 
alleged that the U.S. and NATO wanted Finland to be drawn 
into Afghanistan's civil war, while the True Finns accused 
the government of playing games with the lives of Finnish 
soldiers. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
FIRST REACTION TO DUTCH GOV'T FALLING: NOT LIKELY HERE 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) In the first public reaction to the fall of the 
Dutch government over its involvement in Afghanistan, Finance 
Minister and NCP Leader Katainen dismissed the idea that this 
could happen in Finland, citing the "very broad consensus" 
behind such decisions in Finland. 
ORECK