Preparation of a Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy launched

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs started the preparation of a Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy in accordance with the Government Programme on 19 October 2015. The guidelines for the preparation of the Report were set by the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy in their meeting on 18 September 2015.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs leads the preparation of the Report, which will be done in close cooperation with the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior and the Office of the President of the Republic. The Report will be submitted to Parliament during its spring session of 2016. Parliament has been requested to establish procedures for its participation in the work.

The Report will be based on the foreign and security policy objectives adopted in the Government Programme: to strengthen Finland's international position, to secure Finland's independence and regional integrity as well as to improve the security and welfare of people in Finland. The picture of the situation and an analysis of the operational environment, to be laid down in the Report, will also serve the defence report, which will be presented after the Foreign and Security Policy Report, and, as appropriate, the Government's report on the internal security situation to be submitted in early 2016.

In accordance with the Government Programme, the effects of Finland’s possible NATO membership will also be assessed in connection with the preparation of the Report on Finnish Foreign and Security Policy. The preparation of this separate assessment will be decided upon at a later stage.

Inquiries: Hannu Kyröläinen, Special Adviser to the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy, tel. +358 295 351 027