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### Viewing cable 07HELSINKI753, FINLAND, SWEDEN AND NORWAY EXPLORE A "NORDIC

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
07HELSINKI753 | 2007-10-04 13:00 | 2011-04-24 00:00 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Helsinki

`

    VZCZCXYZ0009
    RR RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHHE #0753/01 2771300
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    R 041300Z OCT 07
    FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3809
    INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
    RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0063
    RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0007
    RUEHNJ/AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA 0015

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000753

    SIPDIS

    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2017
    TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR PGOV NATO AF SU CD FI
    SUBJECT: FINLAND, SWEDEN AND NORWAY EXPLORE A "NORDIC
    APPROACH" TO AFGHANISTAN, CHAD AND THE NRF

    REF: HELSINKI 715

    Classified By: POLCHIEF GREGORY THOME FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

    ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOF has begun a series of
    discussions with Norway and Sweden aimed at developing
    a "Nordic approach" to security policy that could
    result in new NATO Response Force (NRF) commitments
    2008; in more Nordic-led OMLTs; and in a long-term
    commitment to staffing the Mazar-al-Shariff ISAF PRT
    under alternating Finnish-Swedish leadership.  In
    addition, GOF sources say the "Nordic approach" will
    make it easier to sell difficult operations like
    Afghanistan to increasingly skeptical public opinion.
    Downsides may include slower decision making, however,
    and numerous difficult details remain to be addressed
    regarding the Mazar PRT.  Meanwhile, the Finns are
    pessimistic about the proposed ESDP Mission to Chad,
    saying that an EU decision not to deploy a Battle Group
    will dramatically limit Nordic troop contributions and
    could jeopardize the whole mission.  End Summary.

    ¶2. (SBU) Finland and Sweden have opened discussions
    aimed at developing a bilateral approach to the NATO
    Response Force (NRF) membership and a "Nordic approach"
    (along with Norway) to crisis management (CM)
    operations in Afghanistan and Africa.  As part of what
    will likely develop into a series of diplomatic and
    military conversations, MFA State Secretary Pertti
    Torstila traveled to Stockholm for discussions with his
    counterparts Sept. 23 and the Swedish and Finnish MODs
    met as part of an unofficial meeting of EU Defense
    Ministers in Portugal Sept. 28-29.  This cable is based
    on informal read-outs from MFA and MOD contacts on
    those meetings.  We understand discussion will expand
    to include Norway at an Oct. 9 meeting in Oslo.

    Nordic Cooperation
    ------------------
    ¶3. (C) In an era when expensive and difficult
    operations like Afghanistan are increasingly a
    priority, the "Nordic approach" concept is emerging as
    the key to maximizing scarce CM resources, Finnish
    contacts say.  As important, they add, is the fact that
    a Nordic approach makes it easier for all three
    governments to sell the tough mission in Afghanistan
    (and politically sensitive endeavors like joining the
    NRF) to an increasingly skeptical public.  As one
    official put it, the EU Battle groups require the
    Nordics to cooperate tactically, but the Afghanistan
    operation and the closer relationship with NATO are
    issues that call for joint strategies on the political
    and public diplomacy levels.

    PRTs and OMLTs
    --------------
    ¶4. (C) The Finns are particularly hopeful that the
    Nordic approach will help them do more in Afghanistan -
    - a goal which is high on the GOF's agenda but has
    proven politically difficult to implement.  When PDAS
    Kurt Volker visited Finland in mid-September, senior
    MFA and MOD officials enthusiastically described plans
    to offer OMLTs in Afghanistan and to take leadership of
    the ISAF PRT at Mazar-al-Shariff in late 2008 (reftel).
    Since then, however, many questions -- both political
    and operational -- have arisen.  Torstila's meetings
    represented the "initial political effort" to negotiate
    a rotating Finnish-Swedish PRT leadership structure at
    Mazar-al-Sharif, MFA contacts reported.  However, they
    hastened to add, "much more negotiation needs to
    occur," especially regarding troop commitments.  Sweden
    currently has 365 troops in Mazar and leads the PRT,
    while the Finns supply about 90.  The Swedes told
    Torstila that sizeable impending budget cuts will
    likely result in force reductions at Mazar, but they
    hoped that the Finnish troop increases that would have
    to accompany a PRT leadership role could offset Swedish
    decreases.  However, the GOF is currently considering
    an additional 50 to 60 troops -- a figure Finnish
    officials readily admit would fall far short of what is
    necessary to lead the PRT effectively, especially if
    the Swedes draw down.  The 50-60 figure is not set in
    stone and could well increase, MFA contacts said, and
    the Swedes did not in any way reject the Finnish idea
    of rotating PRT leadership.  However, there is
    currently a disconnect and more discussions still
    obviously need to occur.

    ¶5. (SBU) As for OMLTs, the Nordic approach offers good

    possibilities.  Finnish Political Director Pilvi-Sisko
    Vierros Villeneuve had suggested to PDAS Volker that
    the Finns would offer their own stand-alone OMLT
    (reftel).  However, it appears that the Finnish MOD and
    MFA now believe that an increase in the number of
    "Nordic OMLTs" can be even greater if the GOF pools
    resources with regional partners.  Norway and Sweden
    already operate two OMLTs jointly and, with added
    Finnish contributions, that number could be increased.
    MFA sources say Norway has formally "invited" Finland
    to join OMLT operations as they expand.  Our Finnish
    briefers were unclear at this point as to how many
    Nordic OMLTs are ultimately planned.  However, they
    were enthusiastic about the possibility of an increase
    beyond three under shared Nordic leadership.

    NRF: A Tougher Sell than Expected
    ---------------------------------
    ¶6. (C) The Finns are also hopeful that the Nordic
    security approach will help them sell the concept of
    NRF participation.  Before the previous center-right
    government left office, Finland's joining the NRF
    seemed almost a done deal.  The then-Foreign Minister
    (a notorious NATO skeptic) had publicly accepted the
    idea, and President Halonen also seemed to be on board.
    Now, however, the new center-right has encountered
    surprisingly staunch opposition to NRF participation as
    much from within the coalition as from the opposition.
    Some Finnish politicians have begun hiding behind the
    allegation that the NATO Allies are so unclear about
    the future structure of the NRF that they do not want
    Partner countries expressing interest at this point.
    (COMMENT: The Embassy has worked hard to dispel this
    canard, emphasizing that although the Allies are
    carefully considering changes to the NRF's structure
    and deployment guidelines, expressions of interest from
    Partners are indeed welcome.  END COMMENT.)

    ¶7. (C) MFA and MOD contacts -- who fully support NRF
    participation -- are very hopeful that as the "Nordic
    approach" develops, it will serve as a useful tool to
    undermine rumors and increase political and public
    support for the NRF.  The key for us is to move forward
    with our Nordic partners to make this happen, one MFA
    office director said.  Neither country can be held
    hostage to the other's progress toward full NRF
    participation, but both Stockholm and Helsinki are
    hopeful of making a firm commitment either at the April
    Bucharest NATO Summit or, at the very latest, in time
    for the November 2008 NATO Force Generation Conference.

    The Chad Mission May Stumble
    ----------------------------
    ¶8. (C) Separately, the Finns have expressed
    disappointment that the Nordic EU Battle Group (EUBG)
    that will stand up Jan. 1 will not be deployed as part
    of a proposed ESDP mission to Chad.  The GOF favored
    deployment, but consensus in the EU was that the tasks
    and timetable in Chad did not fit EUBG parameters, MFA
    contacts reported.  Deployment of the BG would have
    permitted 1000 Swedish forces and some 240 Finns to
    participate.  The EU will now seek to staff the Chad
    mission via "the usual force generation" mechanisms;
    however, our disappointed contacts said, budget
    constraints will likely limit the Swedish contribution
    to no more than 200, and the Finnish to about 12
    police/civilian crisis managers.

    COMMENT
    -------
    ¶9. (C) The GOF is encountering domestic uneasiness
    regarding its ambitious plans to do more in Afghanistan
    and to join the NRF.  As this slow, consensus-building
    process plays out, we will continue to encourage
    creative ideas like the "Nordic approach" which do
    appear to hold promise, both as a way of maximizing
    Nordic resources and winning over the naysayers.  End
    Comment.
    WARE

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