Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HELSINKI1158
2006-11-15 13:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Helsinki
Cable title:
DELIVERING ON NATO'S PROMISE TO AFGHANISTAN -
VZCZCXYZ0016 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHHE #1158 3191357 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 151357Z NOV 06 FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2748 INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 0102 RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0031 RUEHKB/AMEMBASSY BAKU 0005 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0174 RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN 1109 RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0056 RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 5489 RUEHBM/AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST 0550 RUEHUP/AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST 0050 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0374 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 4058 RUEHDL/AMEMBASSY DUBLIN 0062 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0184 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0033 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON 0101 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 0047 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0180 RUEHLE/AMEMBASSY LUXEMBOURG 0404 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 1493 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 4657 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0694 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0101 RUEHPG/AMEMBASSY PRAGUE 0971 RUEHRK/AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK 0266 RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 0838 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0169 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0363 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 0060 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 0400 RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM 8607 RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN 4145 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE 1372 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0103 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 4660 RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 3156 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 1848 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 0079 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0073 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0926
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 001158
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO PINS AG FI
SUBJECT: DELIVERING ON NATO'S PROMISE TO AFGHANISTAN -
FINNISH RESPONSE
REF: STATE 186256
Classified By: POLCHIEF GREGORY THOME FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 001158
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO PINS AG FI
SUBJECT: DELIVERING ON NATO'S PROMISE TO AFGHANISTAN -
FINNISH RESPONSE
REF: STATE 186256
Classified By: POLCHIEF GREGORY THOME FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D).
1. (SBU) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Kimmo
Lahdevirta, Director of the Finnish MFA's Office of
Security Policy. Lahdevirta expressed appreciation for US
efforts to keep partners informed as the Riga NATO Summit
approaches, and welcomed the fact that Afghanistan will
feature prominently on the Summit agenda.
2. (C) Lahdevirta noted that Finland's commitment to the
NATO/ISAF mission in Afghanistan remains solid "through the
end of 2008 and beyond." Finland currently has about 105
troops in five locations in Northern Afghanistan, with the
bulk of them serving in the Swedish-led PRT at Mazar-al-
Shariff and the Norwegian-led PRT at Meymenah. The only
change Finland is currently contemplating would be to
increase its forces at those two locations by consolidating
the small numbers of soldiers it currently has remaining in
Kabul and two other locations. No decision on such a move
has yet been made, and it would be carefully coordinated
with other ISAF partners.
3. (C) Lahdevirta also commented on the issues of caveats
and PRT leadership. He noted that Finland has no formal or
informal caveats, and expected no changes to this posture.
As for PRT leadership, Lahdevirta said that Finland
currently has no intention of taking over leadership of
either of the PRTs in which it participates, mainly because
both Sweden and Norway have renewed their commitments.
However, Finland remains open to the idea of leading a PRT,
perhaps in 2009.
HYATT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/15/2016
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS NATO PINS AG FI
SUBJECT: DELIVERING ON NATO'S PROMISE TO AFGHANISTAN -
FINNISH RESPONSE
REF: STATE 186256
Classified By: POLCHIEF GREGORY THOME FOR REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D).
1. (SBU) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Kimmo
Lahdevirta, Director of the Finnish MFA's Office of
Security Policy. Lahdevirta expressed appreciation for US
efforts to keep partners informed as the Riga NATO Summit
approaches, and welcomed the fact that Afghanistan will
feature prominently on the Summit agenda.
2. (C) Lahdevirta noted that Finland's commitment to the
NATO/ISAF mission in Afghanistan remains solid "through the
end of 2008 and beyond." Finland currently has about 105
troops in five locations in Northern Afghanistan, with the
bulk of them serving in the Swedish-led PRT at Mazar-al-
Shariff and the Norwegian-led PRT at Meymenah. The only
change Finland is currently contemplating would be to
increase its forces at those two locations by consolidating
the small numbers of soldiers it currently has remaining in
Kabul and two other locations. No decision on such a move
has yet been made, and it would be carefully coordinated
with other ISAF partners.
3. (C) Lahdevirta also commented on the issues of caveats
and PRT leadership. He noted that Finland has no formal or
informal caveats, and expected no changes to this posture.
As for PRT leadership, Lahdevirta said that Finland
currently has no intention of taking over leadership of
either of the PRTs in which it participates, mainly because
both Sweden and Norway have renewed their commitments.
However, Finland remains open to the idea of leading a PRT,
perhaps in 2009.
HYATT