VZCZCXRO8552
RR RUEHAG RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHHE #0150/01 1141518
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 241518Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4929
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 4986

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000150 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/NB FOR ALAN MELTZER, NSC FOR J.HOVENIER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PBTS FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: STUBB PUSHES FOR NEW THINKING IN FIRST 
EVER "RUSSIA ACTION PLAN" 
 
Classified By: Charge D'Affaires Michael A. Butler for reasons 1.4(b) a 
nd (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  Reflecting the influence of Foreign Minister 
Stubb, who has called for Finland to move away from "old 
phobias" and to abandon "empty and ritualistic rhetoric," 
Finland,s new Russia Action Plan seeks to create a 
comprehensive, realistic and honest set of guidelines to 
govern Finland,s relations with its large neighbor to the 
east.  Why a Russia Action Plan now? Finns increasingly view 
Russia as a revived superpower, and many in the Finnish 
Government seek a policy that pursues opportunities for 
mutually beneficial cooperation without the usual practice of 
sidestepping daunting challenges and deficiencies on the 
Russian side. The result is a plan to engage Russia on a host 
of policy issues, bilaterally and through the EU, while 
maintaining an internal public-private dialogue to ensure 
fresh thinking. End Summary. 
 
Why a Russia Action Plan? 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) On April 16 the Government of Finland (GoF) released 
its first ever Russia Action Plan, establishing guidelines 
for relations with is eastern neighbor.  While Russia is 
never far from the minds of Finnish policy makers, given the 
shared history and 1300 km border as well as significant 
energy and trade links, according to the GoF Russia's return 
to the forefront in international politics prompted this 
unprecedented treatment.  According to the Plan, Finns 
surmise that Russia expects the new U.S. Administration to 
treat the "revived superpower" as a foreign policy equal, and 
that Russia has stated a willingness to create a strategic 
partnership with the U.S. 
 
¶3. (C) In an April 22 meeting, the MFA's Russia Unit Director 
Maimo Henriksson told Polchief that the Plan's form and 
content largely reflects the thinking of Foreign Minister 
Stubb.  She said Stubb's intent was not to "break new ground" 
in terms of policy, but to create a "comprehensive, realistic 
and honest" set of guidelines.  So, while the Plan addresses 
the benefits of partnership and cooperation - territory in 
which Finnish officials have historically been more 
comfortable, at least rhetorically - it also criticizes 
Russia, stating that in the "Georgia crisis" Russia did not 
observe "internationally shared principles" and demonstrated 
a readiness to use force to promote its own interests (with 
no mention of the culpability of Georgia). It also refers to 
human rights deficiencies and "integrated" corruption as 
"major issues" in Russia.  Henriksson added that an ad hoc 
Russia Forum contained in the Plan (and to be led by the 
Prime Minister) will provide an opportunity for a 
public-private partnership to periodically assess and bring 
new thinking to an evolving policy. 
 
Objectives 
---------- 
 
¶4. (U) The Plan states Finland would welcome the development 
of a "forthcoming, democratic and economically prosperous 
Russia" that could cooperate with Finland and the EU more 
closely.  In realizing that goal, the GoF details a number of 
objectives: 
 
- Improve border-crossing and customs duty arrangements; 
 
- Make less cumbersome visa issuance arrangements in both 
countries; 
 
- Focus on environmental issues related to the Baltic Sea 
region - especially on the condition of the Gulf of Finland - 
and on the effect of climate change on Nordic forests; 
 
- Pursue Russia's participation in more international 
judicial agreements; the GoF will seek to enhance cooperation 
among justice, police, border security, customs and 
immigration sectors; 
 
- Foster greater bilateral cooperation through multi-cultural 
forums (such as Finno-Ugric cooperation) and special regional 
activities (such as social and health sector issues, 
epidemics, nuclear safety, the St. Petersburg metropolitan 
area). 
 
Finnish-Russian Relations 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) The GoF aims for an increase in economic interaction 
in trade, investments, energy supply, real estate, innovation 
 
HELSINKI 00000150  002 OF 002 
 
 
and leisure travel.  (NOTE:  In 2008 Russia ranked first 
among Finland's trading partners with approximately 9% of 
Finnish exports and 15% of Finnish imports.  In 2008 Finland 
spent almost 20 million euros on approximately 200 projects 
directed at various regions in Russia covering 
transportation, health/social welfare, energy, justice/home 
affairs and environmental matters.  END NOTE.)  The Plan 
identifies persistent concerns about Russian tariffs for 
exported wood and increasing protectionist sentiment.  In 
addition, despite the extensive and long-standing political 
and economic ties, the Plan identifies a need for greater 
expertise on Russia in Finland, in both "predictive" and 
analytical research, in particular in the energy and 
innovation policy sectors. 
 
Russia and the EU 
----------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The Plan places considerable importance on a 
"strategic partnership" between the EU and Russia.  Such a 
partnership would reflect certain realities of being 
neighbors: the importance of continuing a political dialogue 
and of cooperation on economic and free movement issues; and 
a mutually dependent/beneficial relationship.  While 
acknowledging points of contention in EU-Russian relations, 
the Plan states that "cooperation remains broad," in 
particular on trade matters.  Conditions exist for wider 
cooperation, e.g., in security and crisis management policy. 
The Plan states that strategic cooperation aims at free trade 
and visa waiver arrangements.  Finland supports EU policies 
that encourage Russian cooperation, such as the Nordic 
Dimension and Baltic Sea Strategies. 
 
Reaction to Action Plan 
----------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Media coverage was generally positive, and 
Henriksson pointed to praise of the GoF's "straightforward" 
treatment of relations with Russia.  She also pointed to 
President Medvedev's comment in an April 20 speech at the 
University of Helsinki that Russia is "interested and 
encouraged" by the GoF's adoption of a comprehensive program. 
 One Finnish parliamentarian publicly welcomed the Plan as a 
noteworthy improvement over the Defense Minister's 
articulation of Russia policy in 2007, describing Finland's 
three greatest challenges as "Russia, Russia and Russia."  A 
prominent Russian affairs expert complained that the GoF 
avoided the question of military alliances and Finland's 
policies towards superpowers.  One editorial criticized the 
GoF for policy incoherence, given that the Russia Plan 
extensively addresses the EU's central role while the its 
recently issued EU policy mentions Russia a mere two times. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8. (C) While the Plan reflects a consensus in the GoF 
regarding a comprehensive approach to its Russia policy, it 
clearly reflects the intentions of FM Stubb.  After Russia's 
incursion into Georgia last year, Stubb spoke publicly 
(albeit somewhat obliquely) about Finland's relationship with 
its neighbor, speaking of the general need for Finns to shrug 
of old phobias and for officials to abandon empty and 
ritualistic rhetoric.  The Plan represents a significant step 
in that direction, considering its critical view of Russia's 
incursion into Georgia and its human rights and corruption 
problems.  The Plan does not, however, address Finland's 
relations with Russia in light of its security links, e.g., 
with NATO and the other Nordic countries. As for Stubb, he 
practices what he preaches: with the launch of the Plan, 
Stubb publicly complained that concluding agreements with the 
Russians was easy, but "as for implementation, there is a 
great discrepancy between talk and action in Russia." 
President Halonen remains a practitioner of a more careful, 
less critical approach, evident during Russian President 
Medvedev's first visit to Finland April 20-21 (septel). 
Finnish officials now have two models to chose from in 
dealing with their Russian neighbor.  End Comment. 
BUTLER