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RR RUEHLN
DE RUEHHE #0606/01 2191239
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071239Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3647
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4805
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0209
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5512
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 1862
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0122
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0119
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0199
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0186
RUEHLN/AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 0147
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0027
RUEHFT/AMCONSUL FRANKFURT 3389
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0941
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HELSINKI 000606 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/NB FOR GARRY; H FOR RICH -- PLEASE PASS TO CODEL SPECTER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR SOCI EUN FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND SCENE-SETTER FOR CODEL SPECTER, AUG. 19-20 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The visit of Senators Arlen Specter and 
John Thune to Finland offers the United States important 
opportunities: (1) to encourage Finland to take a greater 
role in NATO-led crisis management and reconstruction 
operations, especially in Afganistan; (2) to urge Finland 
to join other EU member states in ratifying extradition and 
mutual legal assistance (MLAT) agreements; and (3) to 
welcome and reinforce the Finnish goal -- shared by the 
Cabinet and the Parliamentary leadership -- of improving 
relations with Washington.  The visit also offers a unique 
Finland-Pennsylvania public diplomacy opportunity.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
FINLAND: AN OVERVIEW 
-------------------- 
¶2. (SBU) With a population of 5.2 million, Finland is an 
archetypal Nordic welfare state.  High taxes pay for a 
robust "cradle to grave" system of services and benefits of 
which the Finns are very proud.  A strong culture of 
"consensus politics" informs the political system and 
fosters an egalitarian ethos that dominates Finnish 
society.  Finnish politicians take great interest in US 
politics and our political culture, and they respect our 
democracy and our achievements.  However, the intense and 
sometimes acrimonious competition that characterizes the US 
two-party system is somewhat alien to Finns, whose multi- 
party system forces the eight parties in Parliament to form 
new coalitions after every election and to seek consensus 
and compromise on nearly every key legislative issue. 
 
¶3. (U) The Second World War is the seminal event in Finnish 
history and remains the second key reason for Finland's 
consensus style of politics and governance.  After the USSR 
invaded Finland in 1939, the Finns went to war with the 
Germans as allies.  Although Finland prevented Soviet 
occupation, it came at the cost of tens of thousands of 
lives lost and significant territorial concessions at the 
end of the war.  This existential crisis still plays a 
major role in Finnish political, social, and cultural 
thought, and led to two generation's of skepticism about 
collective security arrangements such as NATO and great 
power politics.  Above all, maintaining a modus vivendi 
with Russia -- the only realistic potential threat to 
Finland's existence -- is the priority of every Finnish 
government.  During the Cold War, Finland occupied a 
"betwixt and between" place in Europe.  Its special 
position between east and west made it useful to both 
Washington and Moscow, and many east-west meetings and 
summits were held in Helsinki, including the first rounds 
of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). 
 
THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION 
------------------------------- 
¶4. (SBU) Finland held a general Parliamentary election in 
March 2007.  The opposition Conservative Party (CONS) made 
large gains and joined the Center Party (CEN) in forming a 
center-right government.  The long dominant Social 
Democratic Party (SDP) fared poorly and found itself in 
opposition for only the second time in 40 years.  The 
sitting Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanen (CEN), remained in 
place, but Conservatives took over influential posts such 
as foreign minister, finance minister, defense minister, 
and speaker of parliament.  The success of the center-right 
parties is largely attributed to fiscal policy, and to a 
desire for at least modest tax relief, especially by small 
business owners.  There was also some feeling that the 
left-wing Social Democrats were sidelining Finland in EU 
and international affairs by clinging to an outmoded brand 
of non-alignment.  The new government has many fresh faces 
and a fresh approach, particularly as concerns trans- 
Atlantic dialogue and bilateral relations with the US, 
which it is actively seeking to revitalize.  However, there 
is broad consensus among all Finnish parties on the bedrock 
issues of foreign and domestic policy.  Indeed, the 
elections do not signify a "break" with the past:  Finland 
will remain a robust welfare state; egalitarianism remains 
an important social value; and, in international relations, 
opposition to "unilateral" military action coupled with 
 
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support for multilateral efforts (normally under UN 
auspices) will remain paramount. 
 
US-FINNISH RELATIONS: PURSUING CONCRETE GOALS 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶5. (SBU) Since coming to office in mid-April, Finland's new 
government has said literally all the right things 
concerning our bilateral relationship.  The Cabinet and 
Parliament's leadership have stated clearly that they want 
to build a warm relationship with Washington.  Foreign 
Minister Ilkka Kanerva, who met with Secretary Rice June 11 
in Washington, is genuinely determined to undo damage done 
to the bilateral relationship by his predecessor, a left- 
wing Social Democrat who was often gratuitously critical of 
the US.  Kanerva and other Finnish leaders are eager to put 
the tone and substance of the bilateral relationship back 
on track. 
 
HOW CODEL SPECTER CAN HELP US MOVE THE US AGENDA FORWARD 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
¶6. (SBU) URGING A GREATER ROLE IN AFGHANISTAN: The most 
important single issue CODEL Specter can raise to support 
the Embassy's mission in Finland is the NATO/ISAF mission 
in Afghanistan.  The GOF currently has 104 peacekeepers on 
the ground at Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) in 
Meymaneh and Mazar-al-Sharif, along with a small but highly 
effective civilian team that supports the PRTs with 
appropriate, targeted reconstruction assistance. 
Afghanistan is also at the top of Finland's overall list 
for reconstruction aid, with $12 million in annual funding 
secured for at least the next six years.  (NOTE: Northern 
Afghanistan has not been the site of heavy fighting, and 
the Finns have been able to contribute to promoting 
stability and recovery.  However, Finland did lose one 
peacekeeper to a roadside bomb in the spring.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶7. (SBU) Our challenge now is finding ways to help the new 
government do more in Afghanistan.  At the time of your 
visit, the government will be actively engaged in compiling 
a major report examining all aspects of the security 
situation in Afghanistan and Finland's role there.  Details 
have not been made public, but the Embassy understands that 
the Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs, who have 
chief responsibility for the report's recommendations, will 
recommend increasing Finnish troop contributions to 
NATO/ISAF, with a long view toward Finland's assuming 
leadership of a PRT in 2008 or 2009.  The CODEL's 
statements of support to Prime Minister Vanhanen, Speaker 
of Parliament Niinisto and other interlocutors will re- 
emphasize and advance the efforts the Embassy has made to 
urge a greater Finnish role in this crucial theatre of US 
operations. 
 
¶8. (SBU) NATO COOPERATION: While many in the Conservative 
Party favor Finland's joining NATO, most of their Center 
Party coalition partners -- and President Halonen (SDP) -- 
strongly oppose membership.  Nevertheless, the new GOF's 
platform clearly calls for enhancing Finland's cooperation 
with the Alliance.  In addition to their participation in the 
NATO/ISAF Afghanistan operations and in NATO/KFOR in 
Kosovo, the Finns are now sending positive signals 
regarding possible Finnish participation in the NATO 
Response Force (NRF).  However, the NRF is the subject of 
very intense debate in Finland.  From our point of view, it 
would be helpful for the CODEL to welcome and encourage the 
Finns to announce a move toward joining the NRF -- possibly 
as early as this November at NATO's Force Generation 
Conference.  It will be especially important for the CODEL 
to offer such encouragement to Prime Minister Vanhanen, who 
appears to favor Finland's joining the NRF but faces great 
skepticism within his own Center Party. 
 
¶9. (SBU) BILATERAL LEGAL TREATIES: In late 2004, the US and 
Finland signed bilateral Extradition and Mutual Legal 
Assistance (MLAT) agreements that brought these instruments 
into conformity with the US-EU Extradition and MLAT 
agreements.  The Embassy has been urging Finland's 
Parliament to ratify both agreements, and key committee 
 
HELSINKI 00000606  003 OF 003 
 
 
members tell us they intend to do so as early as this fall. 
We also understand the US Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee may begin the ratification process as well.  A 
word of encouragement from the CODEL to Speaker of 
Parliament Sauli Niinisto, to Justice Minister Tuija Brax, 
and to Parliamentary committee chairs will help move this 
process forward to the benefit of both our countries. 
 
PUBLIC DIPLOMACY: THE MORTON STORY 
---------------------------------- 
¶10. (U) Finally, the CODEL's visit offers an opportunity to 
discuss a unique bit of shared history between the 
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Republic of Finland -- 
i.e., of John Morton.  Morton was born in 1724 in the "New 
Sweden" colony (originally Chester County, now Delaware 
County) of Pennsylvania.  Morton was a descendant of Matti 
Marttinen, a Finn from Rautalampi, Finland.  He was a 
farmer and surveyor, and active in politics, rising to 
become Speaker of the Pennsylvania House, and a delegate to 
the Second Continental Congress.  At that Congress, he cast 
the decisive tie-breaking vote in the Pennsylvania 
delegation, tipping the balance in support of the 
Declaration of Independence.  Raising awareness of John 
Morton's story and the direct impact this fourth-generation 
Finn had on the history and independence of the United 
States has been among Ambassador Ware's top priorities 
since her arrival in Finland in early 2006. 
WARE