Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09HELSINKI132
2009-04-06 08:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Helsinki
Cable title:
FINLAND: BRIEF ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHHE #0132 0960855 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 060855Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4908 INFO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0012 RUEHPS/AMEMBASSY PRISTINA 0054 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 0412 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0108
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000132
SIPDIS
EUR/NB FOR MIGUEL RODRIGUES
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2019
TAGS: AORC PREL ICJ KV FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: BRIEF ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
REF: A. STATE 29385
B. STATE 11928
C. 08 STATE 127443
D. 08 HELSINKI 00457
Classified By: PolChief Scott Brandon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000132
SIPDIS
EUR/NB FOR MIGUEL RODRIGUES
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2019
TAGS: AORC PREL ICJ KV FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: BRIEF ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
REF: A. STATE 29385
B. STATE 11928
C. 08 STATE 127443
D. 08 HELSINKI 00457
Classified By: PolChief Scott Brandon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On April 3, PolOff met with Sari Makela, Finnish MFA
Legal Counselor and Tony Paso, Counselor, Unit for EU
Enlargement and Western Balkans (Kosovo & Serbia). Makela
said that the Government of Finland (GoF) intends to submit a
brief to the ICJ by April 17. She stated that the main legal
argument will be, as she phrased it,"that territorial
integrity can be overwritten in exceptional cases as a
response to situations where opportunities for internal
determination cannot be exercised in a meaningful way
creating the need for external determination or secession."
She acknowledged that this is an unusual case, factually, and
added that should be taken into account. Makela also stated
that Serbia sent 80 letters this winter looking for support
for their side of the legal argument.
2. (SBU) Separately, Paso noted that the Finnish
Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee will be visiting
Kosovo and Serbia in approximately three weeks. A new
Finnish Charge went out 3 days ago as part of the status
upgrade from Finnish Mission to Finnish Embassy at the
beginning of February. The Embassy will be overseen from
Sofia instead of Belgrade going forward. Paso said that
Finnish interest in Serbia is picking up as well. He
indicated that the Finnish Prime Minister is in the very the
early stages of planning a Kosovo visit.
BUTLER
SIPDIS
EUR/NB FOR MIGUEL RODRIGUES
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2019
TAGS: AORC PREL ICJ KV FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: BRIEF ON ICJ ADVISORY OPINION
REF: A. STATE 29385
B. STATE 11928
C. 08 STATE 127443
D. 08 HELSINKI 00457
Classified By: PolChief Scott Brandon for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On April 3, PolOff met with Sari Makela, Finnish MFA
Legal Counselor and Tony Paso, Counselor, Unit for EU
Enlargement and Western Balkans (Kosovo & Serbia). Makela
said that the Government of Finland (GoF) intends to submit a
brief to the ICJ by April 17. She stated that the main legal
argument will be, as she phrased it,"that territorial
integrity can be overwritten in exceptional cases as a
response to situations where opportunities for internal
determination cannot be exercised in a meaningful way
creating the need for external determination or secession."
She acknowledged that this is an unusual case, factually, and
added that should be taken into account. Makela also stated
that Serbia sent 80 letters this winter looking for support
for their side of the legal argument.
2. (SBU) Separately, Paso noted that the Finnish
Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee will be visiting
Kosovo and Serbia in approximately three weeks. A new
Finnish Charge went out 3 days ago as part of the status
upgrade from Finnish Mission to Finnish Embassy at the
beginning of February. The Embassy will be overseen from
Sofia instead of Belgrade going forward. Paso said that
Finnish interest in Serbia is picking up as well. He
indicated that the Finnish Prime Minister is in the very the
early stages of planning a Kosovo visit.
BUTLER