Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 2 Mar 1994

Vol. 439 No. 6

Written Answers. - Finland's Neutrality Policy.

Pat Upton

Question:

59 Dr. Upton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been brought to the speech of the Finnish Prime Minister, Mr. Eskzo Aho, to the Institute of European Affairs; if the apparent evolution in Finland's neutrality policy will have implications for this country in the context of an enlarged European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

During his official visit to Ireland in January of this year, the Prime Minister of Finland, Mr. Eskzo Aho, addressed the Institute for European Affairs on the topic "Finland and Europe in Transition". This was a wide ranging address, covering various Finnish concerns prior to their likely accession to the European Union.

In the course of that address, the Prime Minister reaffirmed that Finland accepted the political objectives of the Maastricht Treaty and its provisions concerning the Common Foreign and Security Policy. He said that Finland intended to contribute actively and constructively to the formulation and implementation of those policies. They were open-minded about the future and did not exclude any options.

With regard to Finland's own security policy, the Prime Minister stated that, traditionally, this was based on the maintenance of a strong independent defence without membership of any military alliance. In this context, he expressed himself satisfied as to the outcome of negotiations between Finland and the European Union on the Chapter on the Common Foreign and Security Policy, which were concluded last December.

There is a number of similarities between the security policies followed by Finland and Ireland, but there are also significant differences arising from differing historical experiences and geographical factors. I would hope that, following Finland's accession to the European Union, we would work closely with Finland, as with other partners in the Union, in future development of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, including the review which is expected to take place at the Intergovernmental Conference in 1996. The evolution of Finnish thinking in this area and also the evolution of thinking generally, will of course be a matter of considerable interest to us.