Wed, 18 Nov, 2015 12:08:40 AM FTimes – STT Report, Nov 18  President Sauli Niinistö spoke at a press conference on Paris terrorist attacks and the EU security guarantees in Helsinki on Tuesday 17 November 2015. Photo – Lehtikuva. President Sauli Niinistö on Tuesday said Finland is ready to support France in all possible ways but cannot offer militarily assistance due legal barrier.
The president termed France’s call to the European Union member states for security guarantees an important step and expressed the hope that the terrorist attacks carried out in France and Egypt would lead to a broader international cooperation against terrorism.
“Finland is ready to support France in all possible ways. Of course, we will make every effort to support France,” Niinistö told a press conference.
He also pointed out that Finland had already cooperated with France, particularly in the field of information exchange.
“But Finland could not provide military assistance, as the current legislation did not allow for it,” said the president, adding that the situation created an impetus for legislative reforms.
Niinistö’s remarks came as France invoked an EU mutual defence treaty which obliges other EU countries to assist each other in case of armed aggression.
The issue surrounding Finland’s legislation in military involvement was last raised during the Swedish investigation involving a submarine.
The EU countries unanimously accepted the request by France at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.
What the assistance concretely means will be decided in bilateral negotiations between France and other countries.
Niinistö said the recent attacks on France and Russia have created an atmosphere which could lead to a broader discussion between the European Union countries, Russia and the United States on curbing terrorism.
The president said the statements of both President Francois Holland of France and President Vladimir Putin of Russia show the same spirit which could encourage cooperation.
The French president over the weekend spoke out against the terrorist attacks in Paris while President Putin said the Russian plane which crashed over the Sinai was an act of terrorism.
“I read the same kind of spirit and attitude in the statements: great determination that terrorism has to be curbed,” the president told reporters at his official residence of Mäntyniemi.
Defense Jussi Niinistö. File Photo – Lehtikuva. Niinistö, above all, sees this as an opportunity to intervene in the causes of terrorism, in addition to the fight against terrorism.
“Peace should then be created in all parts of Syria and Iraq,” Niinistö said.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Jussi Niinistö said Finland’s assistance to France could, for instance, be in the form of exchange of intelligence information.
Legislation paving way for the country’s involvement in military assistance abroad is expected to be brought in parliament at the beginning of next year, he said.
The defence minister said work to get the draft ready has already gained pace.
He said the EU defence ministers’ pledge to support France was primarily political. According to the minister, for instance, the United Kingdom has the capability to assist the French militarily.
He considers the decision a turning point in the development of EU’s foreign and security policy.
“Finland, certainly, hopes that others act in the same way as we act towards others. So it is now being tested how these EU security guarantees mean,” the minister said in Brussels.
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