Finnish and US soldiers participated in a mechanised exercise organised by the Finnish Army in Niinisalo, Satakunta, on 4 May 2023. Both YLE and Helsingin Sanomat reported on Monday that official-level negotiations between Finland and the US over a defence co-operation agreement have reached their final stretch, with a political decision possible as soon as next week. (Antti Aimo-Koivisto – Lehtikuva)
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NEGOTIATIONS between Finland and the United States on a defence co-operation agreement have reached the final stretch, report YLE and Helsingin Sanomat.
YLE on Monday reported, citing multiple that an agreement could be imminent, with only a handful of legal questions still unresolved and with meetings between officials scheduled at least for Monday and Tuesday.
The agreement will fundamentally determine how US troops can operate in Finland, enhancing and specifying co-operation agreed on within the framework of Nato.
The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in August revealed that the agreement will deal with practical questions related to the entry of troops, pre-storage of materiel and taxation in Finland. The US, it added, will also be able to take advantage of Congress funding to make investments in military infrastructure in Finland.
YLE on Monday wrote that Finland is set to grant US troops access to a number of undisclosed garrisons and military bases and exclusive access to sites for storing vehicles, weapons and other materiel required to conduct military exercises in Finland. No US base with a permanent presence will be set up in the country, though.
The agreement will fundamentally enable military co-operation between the two countries in all circumstances, serving as a framework for operation-specific agreements, summarised Helsingin Sanomat. US troops, it elaborated, will be able to enter the country for exercises at any time within the boundaries set by the agreement, have access to their own facilities and exercise grounds, and store and maintain equipment.
According to the newspaper, the agreement is initially expected to result in a higher number of joint exercises rather than the transfer of substantial number of US troops and weapons to Finland.
Helsingin Sanomat also wrote that one of the questions the agreement will address is the legal status of troops, namely whether they fall under the jurisdiction of Finland or the US. While the US would have jurisdiction in contentious cases, Finland would be able to request the reinstatement of its jurisdiction in certain serious cases, such as crimes of social significance or crimes against the health and well-being of others.
A preliminary defence co-operation agreement on the agreement was made years ago, but the negotiations did not start until last year, after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The US has made similar agreements with several other Nato and some non-Nato countries. Sweden and the US, for example, are expected to finalise their defence co-operation agreement shortly, according to both YLE and Helsingin Sanomat.
Iro Särkkä, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told YLE on Monday that the agreement will contribute to the national security of Finland.
“Nato membership has given us a certain foundation, context and framework for further bilaterally deepening our defence co-operation in several domains with the US,” she commented. “This agreement will create the framework and possibilities for US troops to operate in Finland also in very challenging climate conditions. This is naturally a good thing for Finland.”
“It may be very well possible that the US wants to deepen its expertise in how to operate in very cold conditions,” she added when asked about the type of areas that could interest the US.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
