[A-List] Brussels 'Transparency': Finnish NATO Bases Can't Be Disclosed To Public

[Rick Rozoff <r_rozoff@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.helsinki-hs.net/news.asp?id=20040205IE7

Helsingen Sanomat (Finland)
February 5, 2004



Finland will not disclose which of its airfields or
ports NATO might use
A question of confidentiality, Ministry of Defence
explains


-The public announcement of the selected sites is
prohibited by an agreement with NATO, according to
which all matters related to the PfP planning and
evaluation process are confidential, the Ministry of
Defence explained on Wednesday.
In the spring of 2002, Finland accepted as one of its
PfP goals to develop its so-called "Host Nation
Support Capacity". In line with this, Finland promised
to inform NATO by the end of 2003 which of its ports
and airfields would best be suited to receiving and
servicing the planes, ships, and troops of NATO and
its partnership countries.



Finnish officials are not at liberty to disclose -
even to Finnish citizens - which of the country's
airfields or harbours might be used by NATO or its
partnership countries for bringing in troops and
equipment in conjunction with a Partnership for Peace
(PfP) exercise or a military operation.

The Ministry of Defence has selected the airfields and
ports based on public information and NATO was
informed of the selection in December. The public
announcement of the selected sites is prohibited by an
agreement with NATO, according to which all matters
related to the PfP planning and evaluation process are
confidential, the Ministry of Defence explained on
Wednesday.

In the spring of 2002, Finland accepted as one of its
PfP goals to develop its so-called "Host Nation
Support Capacity". In line with this, Finland promised
to inform NATO by the end of 2003 which of its ports
and airfields would best be suited to receiving and
servicing the planes, ships, and troops of NATO and
its partnership countries.

Green MP Erkki Pulliainen recently presented a written
question to the government, in which he demanded to
know what the government had replied to NATO.
In his answer, the Minster of Defence Seppo Kääriäinen
(Centre) explains that NATO has been informed "based
on information compiled from public sources as to
which of Finland's ports and airfields would best
serve the transportation needs of PfP exercises". The
Minister, however, will not elaborate on what those
airfields and ports are.

"The primary criteria for selection were the existing
commercial cargo discharging capacity at ports and
airfields, as well as functional road and railway
connections", explains Kääriäinen.

Finland's Chief of Defence, Admiral Juhani Kaskeala,
estimated in the spring of 2002 that the ports and
airfields in the Pori and Helsinki regions are in a
key position, for the Finnish peace-keeping forces and
rapid deployment units are equipped at Niinisalo, not
too far from Pori.

The troop-ships then use the Pori Harbour, whereas the
air transport of military forces usually starts from
the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport.

Finland will continue discussions on more defined aims
of the PfP programme with NATO in March-April.





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