Defence ministers: Sweden and Finland to study defence cooperation

May 26, 2008, 9:44 GMT

Stockholm - Finland and Sweden are to study closer cooperation in defence including procurement of defence material, the defence ministers of the Nordic neighbours said Monday.

'There are considerable opportunities to use resources more efficiently and broaden the military capacity in our countries,' Swedish Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors and his Finnish counterpart Jyrkki Hakamies said in the Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter.

While the overall security situation in the region was 'stable' the ministers noted other challenges including the increase in oil shipments from Russia over the Baltic Sea.

Recently Hakan Syren, Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, warned that requested spending cuts will seriously impair Sweden's ability to defend itself and also carry out international peacekeeping missions.

The joint article did not mention NATO membership as an option for Finland or Sweden that cooperate with NATO within the Partnerhsip for Peace (PFP) framework.

Hakamies, of the conservative National Coalition Party that is one of four parties in the Finnish coalition government, has come under fire over speeches where he has said there were benefits of a 'Nordic bloc' within NATO, noting that Norway, Denmark and Iceland are members.

Tolgfors and Hakamies noted that Finland and Sweden cooperate on surveillance of civilian shipping in the Baltic Sea to prevent accidents, oil spills and smuggling and this could be extended to include other Baltic Sea states.

Both Sweden and Finland want to cooperate with Russia, and the ministers noted how Russia was likely to become more active in the Barents Sea region over 'oil extraction, transports and to base strategic forces.'

Finland and Sweden also cooperate in international peacekeeping missions, for instance in the framework of the Nordic Battle Group - a European rapid reaction force.

Afghanistan, Chad and Kosovo are other areas where forces from both Nordic neighbours cooperate.

In the long-term Tolgfors and Hakamies said they aimed for a situation 'whereby one country could contribute staff and another equipment as part of a joint contribution to a specific mission.'

Sweden has announced similar plans to study defence cooperation with Norway.