VZCZCXRO9328
RR RUEHAG RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV
DE RUEHHE #0710 2601310
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 171310Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY HELSINKI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3755
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT 0097
RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS 0061
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0648
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0080
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000710
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA/MATTHEW IRWIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL SY IS LE EUN FI
SUBJECT: FINNLAND SUPPORTS EU BORDER MISSION FOR LEBANON
REF: SECSTATE 128335
Classified By: POLCHIEF GREGORY THOME FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)
1. (C) PolChief delivered subject demarche to Mika-Markus
Leinonen, Office Director of the Finnish MFA's Unit for
Civilian Crisis Management, Sept. 17. Leinonen welcomed
the fact that the US supports a joint EU-Arab border
mission for Lebanon and noted that the Finnish Government
is very supportive of the concept. He reported that many
EU member states joined Finland in expressing support at
the Sept. 14 PCS, but added that "many unanswered
questions" remain (i.e., scope; size; security parameters
and mandate; civilian vs. military emphasis; Arab country
participation, etc.). Consensus is building for an EU
fact-finding mission to the region which, like the mission
itself, the Finns support.
2. (C) Leinonen noted that at this time he could not
reasonably comment on what type of contribution Finland
might make to such a mission. He opined that the long-
scheduled drawdown of a 240-troop engineering battalion at
the end of this year could, theoretically, free up some
resources. In addition, there would be fairly good
domestic political support for a small civilian monitoring
or training contribution. However, Leinonen added that
civilian border monitors, in particular, are a "very scarce
commodity" in Finland and throughout the EU. He also
acknowledged PolChief's arguments regarding the need to
minimize engagement with Syria, but suggested that to a
certain extent the mission's success would depend on at
least some communication with Damascus.
WARE