FINLAND: REACTION TO IRAQI ELECTIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000137

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/I AND EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: REACTION TO IRAQI ELECTIONS

Classified By: AMBASSADOR EARLE I. MACK FOR REASONS 1.4 (B AND D)


1. (C) Finland's Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja has not
issued a formal statement on the Iraqi elections, but told
reporters in Brussels on January 31 that the elections were a
step in the right direction. He said that he was
particularly encouraged that the majority of Iraqis voted
despite the difficult conditions and inherent danger.
Tuomioja said that "We are seeing a significant vote of
confidence in the democratic process." The Foreign Minister
also stressed the need for "continued EU support" in Iraq in
order to make positive progress toward stabilization and
democracy. Although President Tarja Halonen and Prime
Minister Matti Vanhanen have not publicly remarked on the
elections, Riisto Volanen, the Prime Minister's Chief of
Staff, told DCM Weisberg that the GoF had decided to "speak
with one voice" on the elections -- and that the voice was
Tuomioja's. Volanen said that this did not exclude the
possibility of further comments by the Prime Minister, but
that for the moment, Tuomioja spoke for the entire
government.


2. (C) During a working lunch with the Ambassador in Helsinki
on February 2, an upbeat Tuomioja said that "we are all happy
that the elections were able to be carried out despite the
great difficulties, and that the turn-out was so high." He
commented ironically that voter participation was higher even
than in European elections, or for that matter, U.S.
presidential elections. Tuomioja added that -- depending on
the security situation, which remains precarious, despite the
elections -- "the day is coming nearer" when Finland would be
able to re-open its embassy in Baghdad. (At present the
Finnish ambassador to Damascus is also accredited to Iraq,
although he has not yet presented his credentials there.)


3. (C) The Ambassador thanked the minister for the
contributions Finland has already made in Iraq -- supplying
police instructors to the training facility in Jordan,
playing a lead role in supporting the UN Protection Force
with an early contribution of one million euros, and
providing forensic scientists to survey mass graves. We
welcome Finland's engagement, and would welcome their ideas
on what else they could do. Regarding Finland's
contributions to date, Tuomioja commented that some of the
police trained by Finnish instructors have already been
killed by insurgents, which unfortunately reflects the
security environment. He said he has also heard of
allegations of human rights violations committed by Iraqi
police officers, "which does not help matters." In any case,
the EU is still debating how to proceed, and may send a group
to Iraq to survey the situation. Finland would expect to
participate in such a group. (Note: Septel will follow with
full report on the Ambassador's conversation with Tuomioja)

Editorial comment on the elections
--------------


4. (U) Reaction in the Finnish media to the successful Iraqi
elections was mostly positive, if guardedly so. Finland's
leading national daily, the Helsingin Sanomat, ran an
editorial on February 1 warning that there was still a tough
road ahead in Iraq, but acknowledging that "Even the sharpest
critics of the President (Bush) ought to avoid the temptation
of belittling the achievement simply because it is also a
political victory for the White House." Other dailies were
more straightforward in their positive assessment of the
election. The centrist Aamulehti reported that "It will take
several days before we get the final results, but we can
declare one winner: the people of Iraq." The ruling Center
Party's official newspaper, Suomenmaa, wrote that "Clearly
the election was a success. It was a success for the
policies of the U.S. ... it was also a great blow to the
insurgents and the terrorists." Coverage of the elections on
Finland's major television networks was similar: cautious
about the road ahead, but upbeat about the elections' success
and what they meant to the Iraqi people.
MACK