VZCZCXRO2221
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0462/01 2831327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091327Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHNO/US MISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4592
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000462 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
USNATO FOR LEAH PEASE 
 
¶E. O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: NATO OEXC OIIP PREL KPAO FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: NATO TOUR PROPOSAL 
 
REF: USNATO 308 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Embassy Helsinki proposes two NATO 
Tours for FY09, designed to promote greater 
understanding of the Alliance in the wake of the 
conflict in Georgia.  The GOF's security policy 
emphasizes the importance of multilateral cooperation, 
including with the US, NATO and in particular the EU. 
Though the GOF is an active participant in the 
Partnership for Peace, public opinion remains largely 
against NATO membership and the GOF's current policy is 
to maintain the "option" of NATO membership.  Following 
the conflict in Georgia public uncertainty about NATO 
membership increased, and public debate about possibly 
renewed "spheres of influence" might cause some to see 
NATO in an old light as a bulwark against Russian 
aggression.  NATO Tours therefore become important 
tools to help policy makers dispel old attitudes, 
explain NATO's core objectives and principles and 
emphasize its multilateral cooperation, including in 
international crisis management. END SUMMARY. 
 
Finland moves towards Euro-Atlantic institutions 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, 
Finland has moved steadily towards Euro-Atlantic 
institutions while carefully managing its relationship 
with its Russian neighbor.  The Government of Finland 
(GOF) security policy recognizes that global problems, 
development crises and regional conflicts have become 
increasingly significant and responding to these 
threats requires increasing bilateral and multilateral 
cooperation. "International Crisis Management" is the 
popular overarching concept for multilateral 
cooperation.  Under GOF security policy the role of the 
U.S., NATO and the development of the transatlantic 
relationship are of "key importance." However, what is 
most important for the GOF is the "capability and 
influence of the European Union." 
 
NATO Uncertainty Grows for a Partner in Russia's shadow 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶3. (SBU) Following this security policy, Finland 
participates actively in the Partnership for Peace. 
However, a long history in the shadow of Russia means 
cooperation with NATO is fraught with difficulty.  Many 
Finns retain a vision of NATO as a bulwark against the 
Soviet Union - and now Russia - and not more broadly as 
an alliance of collective defense and common values.  A 
majority of the public remains opposed to NATO 
membership.  Following the conflict in Georgia - with 
visions of Russia reasserting "spheres of influence" 
and the EU and U.S. stating that there will be no 
"business as usual" as long as Russia maintains its 
current course - uncertainty about NATO has increased. 
(NOTE: Also following the conflict, the number of 
people viewing Russia as a threat to Finland's security 
also has grown, from 20 to 26 percent.  END NOTE.) 
 
Goal: Increase understanding of and decrease 
uncertainty about NATO 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The recent conflict in Georgia generated 
public debate about Finland's security policy, in 
particular about the role of the EU in regional 
security and the GOF's policy towards NATO membership. 
The first parliamentary debate on security after the 
conflict was filled with praise for the prominent role 
played by the EU presidency and the OSCE Chairman-in- 
Office in the Georgia crisis.  References to NATO 
largely surrounded reaffirmations of the GOF's current 
policy of maintaining the "option" of NATO membership. 
The GOF's position, poised carefully between those in 
favor and those against membership, means that few in 
the Cabinet speak forcefully in favor of NATO as 
uncertainty grows about Finland's relationship with the 
Alliance (Foreign Minister Stubb being a notable 
exception). 
 
¶5. (SBU) In Finland public opinion often follows 
government policy, as in the mid-1990s when public 
opinion regarding EU membership only turned in favor 
after the GOF launched a campaign supporting 
accession.  Any change in public opinion about NATO 
would necessarily involve the active participation of 
policy-makers.  NATO Tours therefore become an 
important tool to help policy makers dispel old 
 
HELSINKI 00000462  002 OF 002 
 
 
attitudes, explain NATO's strategic concept and 
emphasize its multilateral cooperation, in particular 
with the EU. 
 
Proposal 1: NATO's Strategic Concept 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) As NATO considers a revision of its Strategic 
Concept next year, a tour that has this Concept as its 
umbrella theme will be able emphasize important points. 
One would be to examine NATO's core principles and 
objectives, as a way to dispel outdated attitudes about 
the Alliance.  Another would be to stress NATO's role 
in international crisis management, e.g., peacekeeping 
operations and responding to humanitarian emergencies. 
And yet another would acknowledge the centrality of the 
EU in GOF security policy - i.e., a way to allay 
concerns about NATO and change opinion would be to 
highlight the degree of overlap and cooperation between 
NATO and the EU.  Foreign Minister Stubb himself 
alluded to the benefits of a trip to Brussels.  In a 
speech to Finnish Ambassadors last August, Stubb said 
that a trip to Brussels cured him of any "NATO phobia," 
pointing to the same debates occurring in the EU and 
the heavy overlap of participants. (COMMENT: Already an 
avowed Atlanticist, Stubb was making a rhetorical 
flourish, but made an important point nevertheless. END 
COMMENT.) 
 
Proposal 2: NATO and International Crisis Management 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶7. (SBU) This tour has a considerably narrower focus. 
In pursuing its security policy, and despite its 
relatively small population, Finland has become a 
significant provider of security, in particular by 
participating in peacekeeping operations alongside the 
U.S. in Kosovo and Afghanistan.  The Finnish people are 
rightly proud of those contributions to regional and 
global security.  A program that explains NATO's 
current role in promoting stability by focusing on 
peacekeeping operations could help quell uncertainty 
about the Alliance, and perhaps turn ingrained and 
outdated attitudes about NATO. (NOTE: We propose either 
an exclusively Brussels-based Tour for this program, or 
one that incorporates a visit to Kosovo or Afghanistan, 
as an "on the ground" element would have immense 
benefits to participants.  END NOTE.) 
 
Timing and participation 
------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Post proposes the tours take place late in the 
second quarter of FY09 or early in the third, i.e., 
around the Summit in Strasbourg.  This would engage the 
participants in briefings and discussion either as a 
preview or review of the Summit.  For both programs we 
envision approximately 8-9 parliamentarians, with 3-4 
drawn from key ministries like Foreign Affairs, Defense 
or Finance (the latter targeting the subject of funding 
peacekeeping operations).  We have reached out to 
parliamentary committees and Ministries, and have 
received strong expressions of interest and names of 
potential participants. 
BARRETT