FINLAND: FOREIGN MINISTER ON UN REFORM, CAMPAIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HELSINKI 000135

SIPDIS

EUR/NB FOR MIGUEL RODRIGUES

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2019
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV FI
SUBJECT: FINLAND: FOREIGN MINISTER ON UN REFORM, CAMPAIGN
FOR UNSC SEAT 2013-14

Classified By: CDA Michael A. Butler for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: Finnish Foreign Minister Stubb kicked off
Finland's 2013-14 Security Council Seat campaign at a March
17 seminar entitled "The Role of Small States in the United
Nations Security Council"(UNSC). Stubb defined Finland as a
small state with proven leadership experience that would help
drive UN reform forward. Stubb called the UN a forum to
provides world leadership and establish consensus around
major issues while allowing other organizations, largely
regional ones, to carry much of the load. Stubb expressed
concern that ad hoc fora such as "G-meetings" would
marginalize the UN, especially in times of crisis. He called
for broad reform of the UNSC, including elimination of the
veto in favor of weighted consensus and rotating regional
seats. Although Stubb offset his lofty rhetoric about the UN
with criticism of its shortcomings, he clearly geared his
presentation towards the small states whose votes Finland
requires. Stubb's comments, coming from a conservative
politician who is Finland's most prominent advocate of NATO
membership, reflect the weighty role that the U.S. has in
Finnish hearts and foreign policy. End Summary.

First "a Commercial"
--------------


2. (U) Stubb paused at the beginning of the seminar for
what he called a "commercial break" reminding the attendees
that Finland is actively campaigning for a Security Council
seat for the 2013-2014 term. Stubb promoted Finland as a
"pair of safe hands" and a "trustworthy handshake." He
showcased Finland as pro-multilateralism, with a long track
record in international institutions, and good at "securing a
common voice." Stubb added that small countries need to be
represented in balancing the "P5 big stuff." Stubb also said
that while Finland would be as active a campaigner as
possible, it would not sacrifice human rights for votes.
Stubb identified Australia and Luxembourg as Finland's
"friendly competition". At one point Stubb turned to the
Swedish Ambassador in the audience and asked, with a smile,
what Finland might trade for Sweden's vote.

Looking for Strong Leadership in a World Forum
-------------- -


3. (U) With the commercial ended, Stubb asked rhetorically,
"Why a strong UN?" He saw international politics at a
crossroads and the international system in turmoil - and an
important role for the UN in calming the turmoil. Stubb
described the UN as the "linchpin" between all international
institutions in a world that moved from bipolar to unipolar,
and is now headed in a multipolar direction. He suggested
that this multipolar world needs an overarching global
organization with strong leadership potential, and that the
UN is that organization.


4. (U) Stubb stressed that the UN is a world forum - a body
to provide leadership and help forge a consensus on a given
matter - not a world government. He sees the UN as a roof
held up by the "pillars" of organizations with a global reach
such as the EU and NATO, and others with regional impact,
like the Nordic Council and African Union. He expressed
disappointment that the UN has been unable to transform. The
targets are there, he said - peace, security and human rights
- but the tools are weak.


Finland is G-34
--------------


5. (U) As a supporter of the well-established "pillars"
that should support the UN, Stubb lamented what he sees as a
reliance on ad hoc fora embodied by the excessive "G
activity." He joked that it did not matter whether one spoke
of G-2, G-7 or G-20, because Finland would not make the list,
and that if Finland did not get a seat on the UNSC, perhaps
it would establish a "G-34." More seriously, Stubb said "G"
multipolarity draws focus away from and marginalizes the UN,
and that national solutions then pervade global problems.


Stubb's Recipe for Change
--------------


6. (U) Stubb said that to reach the goal of a stronger UN the
international community should revisit the basic UN
documents. He suggested three changes: (1) Change the
Security Council to reflect the 21st century; the P5 has

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"outlived its time" and should be replaced by regional
representation (Note: He stated with a smile that he does
not expect the change before the targeted Finnish Security
Council term 2013-14. Other Finnish officials at the seminar
broadly predicted UNSC reform during their "lifetimes." End
note.); (2) Reform peacekeeping "realistically," as the blue
beret or helmet is the UN's best brand and the peacekeeping
system has faced unrealistic demands; and (3) Re-examine the
Millennium Development Goals, which Stubb said have become a
sacred cow that cannot be criticized.


Stubb's Security Council Vision
--------------


7. (U) Stubb suggested that if the Security Council is not
radically reformed, the "relevance of the UN" will wither
away. He believes that UNSC voting should be kept as simple
as possible. His reformed Security Council would ideally
have 8 to 10 members. A vote would require consensus, which
he described as unanimity minus-1 or minus-2. Stubb proposed
eliminating the veto, which he described as a larger problem
than the composition of the council. In answering audience
questions about council composition, Stubb said that he does
not think specific regional powers would be able to
monopolize control of allocated regional positions on the
council. In Stubb's vision, the "pillar" organizations would
carry much of the workload, leaving fewer matters to be taken
up by the reformed - and presumably more efficient - UNSC.

Booster Turns Critic
--------------


8. (SBU) Though his presentation reflected lofty suggestions
and expectations, Stubb did not shy away from criticizing the
UN. In responding to questions on human rights, he said the
UN is not a club of liberal democracies, that it is not a
"holy organization" and that with 192 members, some are "very
bad crooks." He quickly added "I don't mean the P5." He
acknowledged difficulty in dealing with human rights within
the UN, citing differing perspectives.

The Votes Start Coming In...
--------------

9. (C) On the margins of the seminar, the Israeli DCM told
PolOff that Finland agreed to vote for Israel in 2019 for
Israel's vote in 2012. He said that nothing had yet been
agreed to on paper.

Comment
--------------

10. (C) Though Stubb seemed to pause at the outset to make
his pitch for Finland's UNSC campaign, his entire
presentation constituted a commercial. The engaging and
savvy Stubb knows where to look for votes - the many other
small states in the UN - and crafted his message
accordingly. Thus, he spoke of empowering the UN while
carving an important place for regional organizations (where
small states may have a greater voice),as he also calls for
reform that includes reducing the power of larger states
within the organization. His calculated appeal to small
states aside, Stubb remains a committed Atlanticist,
demonstrated by the Foreign Minister of a non-NATO country
identifying NATO as a main pillar holding up the "roof" of
the UN. End comment.



BUTLER