This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HELSINKI 000186 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR A/S JONES, DAS CONLEY, EUR/NB, EUR/EX, AND 
EUR/PPD; NSC FOR AMB FRIED 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2015 
TAGS: PREL XF AF CH IZ RS FI EUN
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S LUNCH WITH PRESIDENT HALONEN 
 
REF: A. HELSINKI 160 
 
     ¶B. 04 HELSINKI 1603 
     ¶C. A/S JONES-AMB MACK JANUARY 31 TELECON 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Earle I. Mack for Reasons 1.4(B) and (D) 
 
Summary and Recommendation 
-------------------------- 
 
¶1. (C) In a meeting over lunch February 11, Finnish President 
Tarja Halonen reinforced in person what we have already heard 
from her staff: that she would appreciate an opportunity to 
meet with the President.  Halonen told the Ambassador that 
she wants to take a leading role in promoting the normalized 
trans-Atlantic relationship described in the Secretary's 
Paris address, both now and when Finland holds the EU 
presidency (July-December 2006).  Halonen feels that too 
often the basis for this relationship has been crisis 
management or follow-up coordination; in fact, the U.S. and 
Europe can and should work together to build a better world 
in all phases of life.  She would like to discuss with the 
President how the United States and Finland together can 
advance this objective.  Jukka Valtasaari, Finland's 
ambassador to the U.S., currently in Helsinki on a regular 
visit, reiterated this request and the rationale for it in a 
call on the Ambassador February 14.  At the same time, he too 
referred subtly to the fact that Finland would have the EU 
presidency. 
 
¶2. (C) In response to Halonen, the Ambassador welcomed her 
support for trans-Atlantic cooperation but said that, given 
the President's crowded calendar, it does not appear possible 
to schedule a meeting in the foreseeable future.  Halonen 
asked that the United States keep her request in mind, and 
added that she has agreed with PM Matti Vanhanen that he will 
defer until 2006 his own request to meet with the President, 
so that Halonen's request can take primacy in 2005.  (In his 
conversation with the Ambassador, Valtasaari underlined that 
Halonen's request takes precedence.)  In the meantime, 
Halonen also asked whether it would be possible for her to 
have a moment of the President's time in Brussels just to 
introduce him to Vanhanen, whom he has never met. 
 
¶3. (C) The Embassy recommends that the President acknowledge 
Halonen and Vanhanen on the margins of the February 22 
meeting, so that Vanhanen -- who has not been shy about 
describing the importance of the United States to Europe's 
security, and who will be president of the Council of the 
European Union in 2006 -- can at least say that he has been 
introduced to the President.  We also believe that a formal 
meeting with Halonen later in the year would reap benefits 
for the United States.  It would be the first bilateral 
meeting between the two heads of state since April 2002. 
Halonen is a person of stature and credibility in Europe, and 
during her presidency there has been an understated but 
significant pattern of Finnish government support for the 
U.S. -- most prominently in Afghanistan and the Balkans but 
also in Iraq.  The Finns see the trans-Atlantic relationship 
as one of the cornerstones of their foreign policy, and it 
will be one of the pillars of their EU presidency.  These are 
not empty words -- during Finland's last presidency, in 1999, 
Turkey gained the status of candidate for EU membership. 
Acknowledging this desire for closeness will stand the U.S. 
in good stead over the next year in the many areas where we 
seek Finnish cooperation.  End Summary and Recommendation. 
 
Halonen Requests a Handshake for Vanhanen in Brussels, 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
and a Meeting for Herself Later in the Year 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) On February 11, the Ambassador had lunch with 
President Halonen, at the latter's invitation.  Presidential 
advisor Jarmo Viinanen, who will become her chef de cabinet 
later this year, also attended.  The meeting covered a wide 
range of topics, but the one most on Halonen's mind was her 
desire to meet with President Bush, for reasons Halonen 
explained to the Ambassador.  She said that she is still 
writing the remarks she will deliver in Brussels February 22, 
but that her theme will be the need for close trans-Atlantic 
cooperation, not just in times of crisis, but at all times. 
Halonen said that too often the United States and Europe have 
based their relationship on crisis management, and the 
periods leading up to and away from crises.  She said that 
Secretary Rice was "convincing" in the case the Secretary has 
 
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made for transformational diplomacy, and the opportunity for 
nations to join forces in combating global problems.  Whether 
those problems are related to human rights, HIV/AIDS and 
other infectious diseases, or any of the other challenges of 
the 21st century, they call for trans-Atlantic cooperation in 
response.  Halonen would like to play a leading role in 
fostering such cooperation, and would appreciate a chance to 
meet with the President to discuss what Halonen can do -- now 
and next year, when Finland holds the EU presidency -- to 
play such a role. 
¶5. (C) The Ambassador confirmed that the President and 
Secretary have international cooperation very much in mind, 
 
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and noted that the Broader Middle East and North Africa 
Initiative is another such area where nations can work 
together -- a long-term, multinational commitment to help 
meet the aspirations of the people of the BMENA region for 
democratic government.  The Ambassador told President 
Halonen, however, that we do not expect any bilats to be held 
on the margins of the President's February 22 meeting in 
Brussels.  Moreover, President Bush's calendar is very 
crowded right now, and we do not believe it will be possible 
to schedule a meeting for the foreseeable future.  Halonen 
accepted this but reiterated that her request stands.  She is 
also aware that PM Matti Vanhanen had requested a meeting 
with the President.  In fact, Halonen and Vanhanen had spoken 
about this earlier in the day, and had agreed that if 
President Bush's schedule is full, Vanhanen will put off his 
request until 2006, in favor of Halonen's request for a 
meeting sometime in 2005. 
 
¶6. (C) Halonen concluded that she looks forward to seeing the 
President in Brussels on the 22nd, and would like to take a 
moment of the President's time to introduce him formally to 
PM Vanhanen.  She made clear that she was not speaking of a 
bilat or pull-aside, but a few moments to enable Vanhanen to 
at least say that he and President Bush have met.  In a 
February 14 conversation with the Ambassador, Finnish 
Ambassador to the U.S. Valtasaari reiterated to us President 
Halonen's interest in both a brief handshake in Brussels and 
a later meeting, briefly noting the upcoming Finnish EU 
presidency. 
 
Iraq 
---- 
 
¶7. (C) The Ambassador thanked President Halonen for the 
assistance Finland has shown already for reconstruction in 
Iraq, through support for the UN protection force, provision 
of police instructors to the academy in Jordan, fielding 
forensic scientists to survey mass graves, and humanitarian 
aid.  Now that the people of Iraq have shown the courage and 
commitment to exercise their right to vote, he said, it is 
essential that the international community step up its 
efforts, in order to assist the new government in developing 
the political institutions necessary to make democracy work. 
For example, the Ambassador noted, Finland could join in the 
NATO Training Mission in Iraq or other support and/or 
multilateral funding.  He pointed out that in the long run, 
if a nation cannot take responsibility for its own security, 
it cannot hope to preserve democracy.  The Finns could also 
contribute to strengthening newly-formed Iraqi political 
institutions, and/or provide support for the political 
process that will lead to a new constitution and future 
elections. 
 
¶8. (C) Halonen said she was happy to see how well the January 
30 voting had gone.  It would be difficult to gain Finnish 
public support for stationing troops and/or civilian experts 
within Iraq itself, she said, but she would like to work out 
a "complementary system" that would enable Finland to do its 
share in contributing more to Iraqi reconstruction.  Doing so 
would not only help the people of Iraq, but help the U.S. and 
EU "rebuild confidence in each other."  She and the 
Ambassador agreed that the DCM would consult with Viinanen in 
more detail about steps Finland could take.  The Ambassador 
commented that disagreements over Operation Iraqi Freedom are 
history, "and history is in the past, the further in the past 
the better."  Halonen seconded the thought. 
 
Afghanistan 
----------- 
 
¶9. (C) The Ambassador, noting Finland's long-term commitment 
to reconstruction in Afghanistan (Ref A), asked whether the 
Finns could increase their support -- by, for example, 
contributing to a second Provincial Reconstruction Team. 
Halonen said this is worth considering, but made no 
commitments. 
 
Middle East 
----------- 
 
¶10. (C) President Halonen said that assisting the 
Israeli/Palestinian search for peace is a very high priority 
for the EU, and that Finland strongly supports the common 
U.S./EU effort.  The Ambassador reviewed recent steps taken 
by the United States, including the appointment of Lieutenant 
General Ward as security coordinator, and asked Finland to 
consider what role the Finns could play on a national basis. 
Halonen agreed to review this, but also urged that the U.S. 
keep the EU thoroughly engaged. 
 
EU China Arms Embargo 
--------------------- 
 
¶11. (C) The Ambassador acknowledged that the GoF considers 
the EU's Code of Conduct a more useful instrument in 
controlling the types of technology transfers the Chinese are 
most apt to want (Ref A).  But not all governments are as 
conscientious as Finland's.  Lifting the embargo now would 
send the wrong signal at the wrong time and could cause 
serious trans-Atlantic repercussions.  Halonen said she has 
not been active in this discussion, and Finland's policy will 
be consistent with EU decisions, but it seemed to her that 
China's record on human rights is not as bad as that of some 
other nations.  The Ambassador, aware of Halonen's reputation 
as a human rights activist, said, "In your heart, you know 
lifting the embargo is the wrong thing to do."  Halonen did 
take this thought on board, smiled and nodded, but also 
advised that U.S. efforts concentrate on France, which she 
felt was out in front of all other EU nations in advocating 
the lifting of the embargo. 
 
Finland, the EU, and NATO 
------------------------- 
 
¶12. (C) Halonen has questioned publicly the wisdom of the 
GoF's plan to expand Finland's peacekeeping law to allow 
troops to be deployed on the basis of an EU mandate.  (At 
present only a UN or an OSCE mandate will suffice.)  In her 
conversation with the Ambassador she did not refer to the 
mandate issue, but did assure us that EU defense cooperation 
will not compete with or undercut NATO.  The EU's rapid 
reaction force will be for crisis management only, she said, 
whereas broader questions of defense and security properly 
belong to the North Atlantic Alliance.  The Ambassador said 
the U.S. appreciates that assurance, and also appreciates 
Finnish and Swedish leadership within the Partnership for 
Peace. 
 
Russia 
------ 
 
¶13. (C) Ref B reports on President Halonen's December meeting 
with President Putin.  She told the Ambassador that Putin is 
a "northern man" -- referring to his St. Petersburg 
background -- who hand-picked the governor.  This gives the 
Finns greater access and increases Finland's chances of 
playing a leading role in developing EU/Russian relations. 
She acknowledged that Putin has shortcomings, and expressed 
misgivings about his apparent attempts to centralize power. 
Nevertheless, she said, he clearly feels that Russia is a 
part of Europe, and therefore it is in the EU's interest to 
get along with him.  Finland hopes that by 2010 Russia will 
once again be the largest importer of Finnish products.  The 
Finns also would like to increase their investment in Russia, 
but need more reassurance of economic and political stability 
than they have at present. 
 
¶14. (C) The Ambassador noted press reports that in January 
Russian Trade Minister German Gref had telephoned Paula 
Lehtomaki, his Finnish opposite number, to ask the GoF to 
restrain Finnish press reporting on allegations that the 
Russian trade mission in Helsinki had loaned some of the 
apartments it owns to a prostitution ring.  Halonen laughed, 
and opined that opening a window to the West is the best way 
to let democracy seep into Russia.  (Note: MFA Under 
Secretary for Political Affairs Lyra confirmed to us recently 
 
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that the Gref-Lehtomaki conversation did take place.  He said 
that distribution of the memcon had been very limited, "but 
obviously someone couldn't resist" leaking the juicy story.) 
MACK