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### Viewing cable 07HELSINKI606, FINLAND SCENE-SETTER FOR CODEL SPECTER, AUG. 19-20

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
07HELSINKI606 | 2007-08-07 12:39 | 2011-04-24 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Helsinki

`

    VZCZCXRO3427
    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

    HELSINKI 00000606  002 OF 003

    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

`