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### Viewing cable 03HELSINKI262, AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES IRAQ WITH PRESIDENT HALONEN

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
03HELSINKI262 | 2003-03-07 14:58 | 2011-04-24 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Helsinki

`

    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 HELSINKI 000262

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/07/2013
    TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ CH FI
    SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES IRAQ WITH PRESIDENT HALONEN

    REF: HELSINKI 248

    CLASSIFIED BY: POL CHIEF JOHN HALL, REASONS 1.5(B) AND (D)

    ¶1. (C) ON MARCH 4 THE AMBASSADOR CALLED ON PRESIDENT HALONEN
    FOR A GENERAL DISCUSSION OF ISSUES ON THE INTERNATIONAL AND
    BILATERAL AGENDA.  IRAQ WAS THE CHIEF TOPIC.  THE AMBASSADOR
    BEGAN BY THANKING THE PRESIDENT FOR HER RECENT FIRM PUBLIC
    STATEMENTS THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR RESOLVING THE CRISIS
                           CONFIDENTIAL

    PAGE 02        HELSIN  00262  071504Z
    LIES WITH SADDAM, NOT WITH THE UN, THE U.S., OR OTHERS.

    ¶2. (C) THE PRESIDENT REITERATED HER BELIEF THAT IRAQI
    COMPLIANCE WITH UNSC RESOLUTIONS IS THE KEY TO THE PROBLEM.
    AT THE SAME TIME, SHE STRESSED THAT THE MAJORITY OF FINNS
    OPPOSE DISARMING SADDAM BY FORCE.  AN ANTI-WAR PETITION
    SIGNED BY TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE HAD BEEN DELIVERED TO THE
    PRESIDENTIAL PALACE DURING THE DAY-LONG DEMONSTRATIONS
    FEBRUARY 15.  THE AMBASSADOR CONGRATULATED FINLAND ON BEING A
    COUNTRY THAT WELCOMES DISSENT -- AND CONGRATULATED THE FINNS
    ON THEIR ABILITY TO DISSENT IN AN ORDERLY WAY.  THE PRESIDENT
    LAUGHED, "YES, WE FINNS ARE ORDERLY."

    ¶3. (C) HALONEN ALSO VOICED FINNISH CONCERN ABOUT THE
    AFTERMATH OF A CONFLICT, ESPECIALLY ITS EFFECT ON THE
    DEVELOPING NATIONS OF THE REGION.  IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE
    INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY REACH OUT TO NATIONS WHERE POVERTY IS
    RAMPANT -- WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO MAKE CONNECTIONS.  THE
    PRESIDENT ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE
    POLITICAL STRUCTURES OF NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, EMPHASIZING
    THAT SHE WAS NOT WORRIED ABOUT IRAN.  (SHE SEEMED TO BE
    REFERRING IN PARTICULAR TO SAUDI ARABIA.)  THE AMBASSADOR
    SAID THE UNITED STATES IS EQUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT ECONOMIC
    AND POLITICAL STABILITY, BOTH WITHIN IRAQ AND IN THE REGION,
    AND WAS COMMITTED TO A VISION OF A FUTURE OF HOPE FOR ALL OF
    THE MIDDLE EAST.  IN THIS CONNECTION, WE APPRECIATE FINLAND'S
    PUBLICLY-STATED WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN RECONSTRUCTION
    IN IRAQ, WITH HUMANITARIAN AID AND PEACEKEEPERS.

    ¶4. (C) THE PRESIDENT ASKED WHETHER THE AMBASSADOR THOUGHT A
    CONFLICT WAS INEVITABLE.  THE AMBASSADOR SAID SHE HAD
                           CONFIDENTIAL

    PAGE 03        HELSIN  00262  071504Z
    OBSERVED THAT DIPLOMATS OFTEN ANSWER A QUESTION WITH A
    QUESTION.  FOLLOWING THAT MODEL, SHE ASKED WHETHER THE
    PRESIDENT THOUGHT SADDAM HAD ANY INTENTION OF FULLY
    DISARMING.  IT SEEMS HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF: IF HE DID
    NOT HONOR THE FIRST UNSC RESOLUTION ON IRAQ, WHAT IS THE
    CHANCE THAT HE WILL HONOR THE EIGHTEENTH?

    ¶5. (C) THE PRESIDENT AND THE AMBASSADOR ALSO BRIEFLY
    DISCUSSED HALONEN'S BUSY SCHEDULE OF INTERNATIONAL VISITS
    OVER THE PAST YEAR.  PRESIDENT HALONEN SAID AGAIN HOW MUCH
    SHE APPRECIATED PRESIDENT BUSH'S MEETING WITH HER LAST APRIL,
    AND THANKED THE AMBASSADOR FOR HELPING ARRANGE THE VISIT,
    ALONG WITH CALLS ON JUSTICE O'CONNOR AND SENATOR HELMS.  IT
    IS CLEAR HALONEN IS ALSO STILL THINKING ABOUT HER VISIT TO
    CHINA LAST NOVEMBER.  SHE SAID THAT FOR MANY NATIONS THE
    FUTURE LIES IN WORKING WITH CHINA.  STILL THERE REMAINS MUCH
    FOR THE CHINESE TO DO IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS FIELD.  SHE NOTED
    THAT SHE HAD BEEN CRITICIZED FOR NOT TAKING A STRONGER STANCE
    ON THIS ISSUE DURING HER VISIT.  THE AMBASSADOR SAID THE SAME
    APPLIES TO IRAQ -- WHO HAS BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT THE HUMAN
    RIGHTS OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE?  WHERE IS THE INTERNATIONAL
    OUTRAGE OVER THE ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY SADDAM AGAINST HIS
    OWN PEOPLE?

    ¶6. (C) COMMENT: WE ARE STRUCK BY HOW MUCH MORE MODERATE
    PRESIDENT HALONEN'S PUBLIC STATEMENTS ARE TODAY THAN EVEN TWO
    YEARS AGO.  ALTHOUGH FINLAND REMAINS A NON-ALIGNED NATION --
    AND MANY FINNS REMAIN OUTRIGHT PACIFISTS -- HALONEN HAS MADE
    CLEAR IN A HIGH-PROFILE WAY HER VIEW THAT THE HEAT MUST BE
    KEPT ON SADDAM.  IN DECEMBER SHE AND PM LIPPONEN TOGETHER
    APPROVED FINLAND'S PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO AIDING IN
                           CONFIDENTIAL

    PAGE 04        HELSIN  00262  071504Z
    POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION IN IRAQ, AT A TIME WHEN NOT THAT
    MANY NATIONS HAD COME FORWARD WITH SUCH A COMMITMENT.  TO
    SOME EXTENT, SHE IS PROBABLY TRYING TO CLOSE RANKS WITH
    LIPPONEN, SINCE ELECTIONS ARE  IMMINENT (MARCH 16).  AND
    LIPPONEN HAS INDEED MADE USE OF HER STATEMENTS, ANSWERING
    OPPOSITION CRITICISM OF FINLAND'S IRAQ STANCE BY SAYING HIS
    GOVERNMEN IS IN LINE WITH THE PRESIDENT'S POLICY (REFTEL).
    MCELVEEN-HUNTER

`