Mon, 20 Jun, 2016 12:57:00 AM Foreign, security policy debate begins FTimes- STT Report, June 20  The presidents of Finland Sauli Niinistö (right) and the prime minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven during a press conference at the annual Golden Shore Talks -debate session is a foreign and security policy at the Presidential Summer Residence Kultaranta in Naantali, Finland, is 19th June 2016. Photo Lehtikuva The defence cooperation between Finland and Sweden has progressed faster and deeper than some would have guessed a few years ago, said President Sauli Niinistö.
The talk of defence alliance is, however, premature.
“I have described this cooperation, that is, we proceed step by step and see which of those steps would be successful,” Niinistö said upon meeting Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in Kultaranta, the president’s summer residence.
The president said no sky-high targets have been set rather the cooperation will proceed within a realistic and concrete framework.
Löfven whose discussion in Kultaranta was his first as a head of government defined the defence cooperation as very important but only in the sense of being complimentary in national planning.
“Cooperation with Finland is not resulting to a defence alliance and nor are we seeking it,” Löfven stated.
Löfven also pointed out that Sweden wants to remain outside the military alliance NATO, because it does not want to increase tension in the nearby territory or provoke unexpected or rash reactions.
The Swedish prime minister also said that Sweden does not want to participate in military operations decided by others or take up nuclear weapons as part of its defence solution.
The deteriorated security situation increases the value of cooperation with Finland, Löfven said.
The Swedish prime minister also delivered a speech as the keynote speaker in the debate on foreign and security policy that began at Kultaranta on Sunday.
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