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<TITLE>Finnish Under Secretary of State Jaakko Blomberg...Developing
European Security: a Finnish Perspective</TITLE>
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<CENTER><FONT SIZE="+4"></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+4">Developing
European Security: a Finnish Perspective</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+3">Finnish Under Secretary of
State Jaakko Blomberg</FONT></FONT></CENTER>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">INTRODUCTION</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Since the end of the Cold War,
that is since the CSCE Paris Summit in December 1990, European security
has been on the drawing board. Initially, its development was a purely
positive experience, with the drawing board open to new and even bold
ideas. Cooperative security became the model for post-division Europe. An
impressive network of security institutions were put in place, based on
common principles and tuned to operate cooperatively.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">European security was being
constructed as architecture. But the architects were soon called on to
observe some cold realities. Conflicts emerged and put the security
systems to the test. Frustration soon became a common feature of the
process.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">CHALLENGES TO
COOPERATIVE SECURITY</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Although the security
architecture is far from complete, the present task is to implement it,
i.e., to make the institutions and arrangements operative and credible for
meeting current security threats and risks.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">There are many challenges to
making cooperative security work with the realities of today and tomorrow.
One is the challenge of differing security needs and concerns. The broad
concept of security is an acknowledged reality; not only must its military
or political dimensions be taken into consideration, but its economic,
social, and ecological dimensions must be considered as well. There are
regional differences in security situations and legitimate regional
concerns such as those of Central and Eastern European countries and the
Baltic States. Furthermore, there is the question of managing within the
established joint rules of behavior, in particular Russia's need for what
it sees as legitimate status.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Political will and determination
constitutes another challenge to cooperative security. The failure to
prevent, manage, and settle conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, the
Trans-Caucasus, Central Asia, and elsewhere; the continued issue of the
Baltic States; and the fear of ethnic conflicts in many places have led to
frustrations and a loss of faith.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">What is needed now is the
political will to act in common, to deal with the issues and settle them.
This is far more important than any individual step in the institution
building that is taking place within the security architecture.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<CENTER></CENTER>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">ISSUES RELEVANT TO
OVERALL EUROPEAN SECURITY</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">There are a number of
organizations and issues that are critical to the very future of European
security:</FONT></FONT> </P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The CSCE--along with the
U.N.-- is the depository for principles and rules and will continue to
be the main instrument for their further development by the
participating states. The CSCE is also the main forum for conflict
prevention, political consultation, and crisis management. It will
retain its role of verifying agreements.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">NATO is the indispensable
source of technical and material resources for crisis management. It
provides security guarantees for its members as well as promotes
security dialogue and partnership across the Euro-Atlantic area.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The European Union (EU)
provides security and projects stability in a broad sense; it also holds
the promise of expanding eastward in the future. The Pact on Stability
in Europe, although still in the early stages of development, represents
a vital idea for long-term European security.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Partnership is an innovative
idea. To fulfill its promise, it must become a workable concept for
crisis management, operating under the U.N. or CSCE mandate. It must use
the instruments provided by NATO, among others, through NACC, the
Partnership for Peace program, and the WEU. A critical issue still to be
settled, however, is how to organize conflict management in the CIS
area, including the possibility of so-called third-party peacekeeping.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Early warning and conflict
prevention must also become effective cooperative means of conflict
management within the CSCE. Resources are currently provided by the
participating states, who must make the decisions to use the instruments
and mechanisms available.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Post-Cold War European
security development should aim at all-inclusive arrangements and avoid
reestablishing divisions. The objective is cooperative security while
respecting every state's right to individual or collective self-defense
according to the U.N. Charter.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The next CSCE summit, to be
held in Budapest in December, will provide an opportunity to review the
progress made thus far. The summit should pull the parts together and
send a credible message that cooperative security is workable and meets
real needs.</FONT></FONT></LI>
</UL>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">NORDIC SECURITY ISSUES</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">There are also some security
issues and needs that are particular to the point of view of the Nordic
countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland):</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<UL>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Military stability continues
to play a significant role in Nordic security. This is because of the
high level of Russian conventional deployments in the Leningrad military
district and the Kola region, as well as the Russian and U.S. nuclear
presence in the High North.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">With the accession of Finland
and Norway, the European Union will have, for the first time, a common
border with Russia. Furthermore, through the enlarged Nordic membership,
the EU will become a neighbor of the Baltic States. This creates the
geopolitical underpinnings of what we in the Nordic countries envisage
as the northern dimension of an enlarged EU.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The Nordic countries believe
that the new closeness to Russia and the Baltic region will be both a
challenge and an opportunity for the EU. The task will be to promote and
support stability through political and economic reform in the
neighboring areas of Russia and the Baltic region, focusing attention on
and providing a well-targeted program for economic and democratic
support. The application of this broad concept of security, however,
should not entail neglecting the core substance of political and
military security.</FONT></FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">In strict military terms, the
post-Cold War build-down has not progressed in Northern Europe as much
or as quickly as it has in Central Europe: the impact of the
fundamentally changed political context, however, is the same in some
areas. Furthermore, military openness is making tangible headway; the
concept of partnership is leading to such cooperative ventures as joint
naval exercises in the Baltic Sea and possibly the Barents Sea.</FONT></FONT></LI>
</UL>
<CENTER><B><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+1">THE FUTURE OF NORTHERN
EUROPEAN SECURITY</FONT></FONT></B></CENTER>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">In the new configuration, all
parties to the Northern European security balance will have to share the
responsibility for continued stability and security. Currently, Finland
views its policy of military non-alliance, with an independent and
credible national defense as the Finnish contribution to
political-military stability. The Finnish Defense Forces have a
comprehensive national capability to fulfill it. This policy will remain
unchanged with Finland's accession to the European Union. Membership in
the EU will provide a significant security role for Finland in the broad
sense.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Concerning the development of
the defense dimension of the European Union, Finland remains open-minded.
Our participation in the development of the Union's security policy will
focus on promoting stability in Northern Europe. Finland's policy is very
similar to that of Sweden and increasing cooperation between these
countries will be a stabilizing factor in the Northern equation.</FONT></FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">Russia, as the great Northern
power, will be one of the key players in any future scenario. Russia's
participation in common security structures and partnership arrangements
will be the basis of its security role in Northern Europe. We assume that
Russia's particular strategic interests in the North can be satisfied by
observing principles of restraint and sufficiency in defense and through
dialogue, openness, and partnership with the Nordic countries, the Baltic
States, and NATO.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">We also assume that NATO will
continue to act for regional stability in the North. NATO's outreach
policies in the form of NACC and Partnership for Peace will provide the
resources and the institutional framework for cooperative efforts to
enhance Northern and, in particular, Baltic stability.</FONT></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE="+0">The coming regional agenda is
wide, from defense-related environmental problems, conversion, and arms
dismantlement to the implementation of disarmament agreements, such as the
CFE Treaty. A working relationship between Russia and the United States in
the field of security policy will continue to be of special importance to
Northern Europe. Security in Northern Europe involves both assumptions and
active endeavors. It is a mix of continuity and change, both of which will
have a role in enhancing stability.</FONT></FONT> </P>
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