Finland's crisis management participation in Kosovo

Government Communications Unit
Press release 109/2010
24.3.2010

On Wednesday 24 March, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed Finland's participation in the crisis management operation in Kosovo and the two forthcoming summits: the Global Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Washington in April and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in May.

Troops in the UN-led KFOR operation in Kosovo will be gradually downsized, in line with the decision made in 2009, if the circumstances continue to develop favourably. First-phase force reductions have been completed and the combined force of KFOR troops is now about 10,200 soldiers. Finland is preparing to significantly scale down Finnish involvement in the KFOR operation during the year.

The President of the Republic will attend the Global Nuclear Security Summit to be held in Washington on 12-13 April 2010. Representatives of 44 countries and four international organisations will attend the high-level Summit. The Summit will discuss ways to strengthen national and international measures preventing criminals from acquiring nuclear materials.

The Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to be organised in New York between 3 and 28 May 2010 will seek to find ways to promote the full implementation of the Treaty. Finland supports the implementation of the Treaty’s provisions and, as before, wishes to focus particular attention on the non-proliferation of tactical nuclear weapons.

Further information: Teemu Tanner, Director General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5032 and on KFOR Helena Partanen, Defence Counsellor, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8135