Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08HELSINKI91
2008-03-05 07:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Helsinki
Cable title:
FINNISH VIEWS ON POSSIBLE UNSC ACTION ON PIRACY
how-toVZCZCXRO5608 RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV DE RUEHHE #0091 0650734 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 050734Z MAR 08 FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI TO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0089 RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4109 INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS HELSINKI 000091
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/E, AF/RSA, IO/UNP, EEB/TRA/OTP, OES/OA, AND L
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KCRM PBTS UN UNSC IMO SO XA XW FI
SUBJECT: FINNISH VIEWS ON POSSIBLE UNSC ACTION ON PIRACY
OFF OF SOMALI COAST
REF: STATE 18101
(SBU) PolChief delivered reftel demarche Feb. 25 to
Claus-Jerker Lindroos, Counselor for Somalia in the Finnish
MFA's Unit for Africa. On March 2, Lindroos contacted us to
offer the following response:
-- Regarding the question of interdicting piracy off the
Somali coast, Lindroos said that the GoF understands the
seriousness of the problem and supports multilateral
operations to stem it. However, the limited resources of the
Finnish armed forces would make it "very unlikely" that
Finland would be able to offer naval assets for participation
in such an effort.
-- As for a possible UN initiative, Lindroos noted that
"Finland would look favorably" on a UN resolution that
included authorization to conduct multilateral naval
operations in Somali territorial waters to combat piracy. He
added that the GoF fully shares the US view that such a
resolution must be based on a Somali TFG request and include
its active participation.
WARE