FINNLAND SUPPORTS EU BORDER MISSION FOR LEBANON

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000710 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA/MATTHEW IRWIN E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL SY IS LE EUN FI SUBJECT: FINNLAND SUPPORTS EU BORDER MISSION FOR LEBANON REF: SECSTATE 128335 Classified By: POLCHIEF GREGORY THOME FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Mika-Markus Leinonen, Office Director of the Finnish MFA's Unit for Civilian Crisis Management, Sept. 17. Leinonen welcomed the fact that the US supports a joint EU-Arab border mission for Lebanon and noted that the Finnish Government is very supportive of the concept. He reported that many EU member states joined Finland in expressing support at the Sept. 14 PCS, but added that "many unanswered questions" remain (i.e., scope; size; security parameters and mandate; civilian vs. military emphasis; Arab country participation, etc.). Consensus is building for an EU fact-finding mission to the region which, like the mission itself, the Finns support. ¶2. (C) Leinonen noted that at this time he could not reasonably comment on what type of contribution Finland might make to such a mission. He opined that the long- scheduled drawdown of a 240-troop engineering battalion at the end of this year could, theoretically, free up some resources. In addition, there would be fairly good domestic political support for a small civilian monitoring or training contribution. However, Leinonen added that civilian border monitors, in particular, are a "very scarce commodity" in Finland and throughout the EU. He also acknowledged PolChief's arguments regarding the need to minimize engagement with Syria, but suggested that to a certain extent the mission's success would depend on at least some communication with Damascus. WARE