Speech by the President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at the opening of the 197th National Defence Course on 7 March 2011

Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic of Finland

Once again, the world is in turmoil. In northern Africa and elsewhere in the Arab world, democratic deficit, social inequality and, first and foremost, unemployment have led to protests that have spread from one country to another like wildfire. Although these countries are different, their citizens have risen against their rulers and authoritarian regimes as a united front at a pace and audacity far greater than the rest of the world expected.

The values they are calling for are democracy, respect for human rights, the rule of law and social justice. It is my hope that the world is also willing to stand up and defend these values.

These regions are in Europe’s neighbourhood. If the situation does not calm down but leads instead to new restlessness, to failed elections or to extensive migration, the security situation of our continent and our countries may be seriously affected.

The European Union has spoken out on the changes in the Arab world, but it has been somewhat difficult to achieve unity. As a natural first step we have sought to evacuate our own citizens and bring them to safety. Moreover, the various EU Member States have had very differing economic relations with Libya, which has partly affected their attitudes.

The United Nations Security Council and the Arab League were quickly able to adopt resolutions, forcefully condemning all violence against civilians. However, even the Security Council has yet to achieve a unanimous decision as regards potential further measures.

In the long term, however, the EU can be a key partner for these north African countries in supporting their sustainable social development. In addition to providing humanitarian aid, the Union can exploit its trade and development policy tools. The current situation illustrates how various factors intertwine in the modern era of globalisation. Finland, too, must be increasingly well informed to be able to form its opinion, either bilaterally or in the context of multilateral decision-making.

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Finland is part of our common world – the world affects us and vice versa. By international comparison, Finland is a safe country in which to live.

The traditional threat of war is not considered a topical one for our country. Nevertheless, the starting point of our national defence is that we should not exclude the possibility or threat of military force being used against Finland. During your course you will address various risk factors and their combinations.

Our security thinking is based on a broad definition of security. Armed conflicts, terrorism and attacks against data networks taking place outside our country may have effects on the security of our society. What is more, even our own country is not immune to such attacks. Communicable diseases, environmental disasters and extreme natural phenomena may also have devastating impacts.

Prevention is the best form of crisis management. Our efforts towards improving broad security are persistent. At the global level this translates into the fostering of democracy, human rights and the rule of law as well as the promotion of economically, socially and ecologically sustainable development.

In Finland we have long aimed at achieving a broad-based consensus in both foreign and security policy. The security and defence policy reports have served as key policy instruments. I am personally in favour of continuing the report procedure. The reports have made it possible to prepare and approve key security decisions in a broad sense of consensus across electoral periods.

This is essential, as decisions regarding security require long-term planning, implementation and training. Moreover, the decisions also affect, or may affect, the rights and obligations of individual citizens.

Shortly after the upcoming election, the newly-elected parliament and government will need to take a stand on how the Defence Forces distribute resources, or should I say cost pressures, between operations and materiel purchases. The decisions will affect the composition of our Defence Forces beyond 2016. It is my opinion that all three actors – the Parliament, the President and the Government – should influence and commit to these policy definitions.

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We must retain a credible defence. Compulsory military service has traditionally enjoyed wide public approval and support, and the will to defend the country has also been high. The latest results of the annual survey charting Finns’ opinions on foreign and security policy, national defence and security indicate a slight change in the attitudes towards compulsory military service. In 2010, sixty-three per cent of respondents were in favour of compulsory military service, while the figure has remained at over 70 per cent throughout the rest of the 2000s. By contrast, support for a selective military service grew last year from 16 to 27 per cent.

It is my opinion that these results should be analysed carefully to establish whether they are an indication of a greater shift in attitudes. It would also be worthwhile to take this opportunity to look into the future. New threats and the modern society, increasingly susceptible to disturbances, coupled with a somewhat less tolerant population are a demanding combination. The reform of the Defence Forces should be harmonised with the development of non-military service.

The number of conscripts will inevitably decline with smaller age groups. On the other hand, citizens have a high sense of responsibility and want to make a contribution in society. Other service models are needed to complement military service. Many young people might be well prepared to carry out non-military service in a much more demanding form than today. Any changes made to service models would likely affect each other. Therefore, the aim should be to achieve an end result that is beneficial in terms of total security.

Women’s increasing interest towards security duty should also be taken into consideration in the development of service forms. Equality in service duties, both in terms of gender and otherwise, is an interest shared by myself and the Defence Forces.

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Finland’s security can be increased through international cooperation. Finland considers multilateral cooperation extremely important. The UN is the only global security organisation. The European Union is our own ‘family’; we are committed to the development of the Union’s foreign and security policy, and we have been fairly active in that respect. In our neighbouring regions the Nordic countries are our natural partners on security issues.

Finland is not a member of NATO; instead, we are a NATO Partnership for Peace country together with Sweden, Ireland and Austria, which is not at all a bad company to be in.

The objectives of our policy and operations are not only about enjoying security, but also about contributing to security. Through participation in crisis management we are not only bearing our international responsibility but also safeguarding our own security and improving our own defence capability. Finland is involved in operations led by the UN, the EU and NATO.

A major share of our crisis management troops are currently stationed in Afghanistan as part of the ISAF operation headed by NATO. I had the opportunity to visit our troops there in January.

My talks with the peacekeepers stationed there only served to strengthen my conception of the demanding nature of the operation. Some of the men and women who had already served in Afghanistan on one or more tours told me that the security situation in the northern territories – the operating area of Finns – has also deteriorated. Combat events are more and more frequent, leading, as we all know, to the death of a Finnish peacekeeper in February.

Nonetheless, the objective is to transfer responsibility for selected areas to Afghan security authorities during this year. The final transfer is set to take place by the end of 2014. International presence and support for building a stable society will no doubt be required long after that.

Dear National Defence Course participants,

During your course some of the best experts will give you a versatile introduction to the challenges facing our country and our common world. The resources available for tackling these challenges are limited, both at home and abroad. You will be forced to give thought to prioritising and to best practices. I encourage you to be active. You yourselves are a resource.

You represent various instances – the state, regional and local government, business, non-governmental organisations and the media. In other words, all the pieces on which Finland’s security is based, both under normal conditions and during crises.

It is my hope that you utilise the course to your full advantage and also get to know each other. I am confident that the journey you are about to embark on will be a rewarding and interesting one.