Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the situation in Syria
Government Communications Department
Press release 392/2013
20.9.2013
On Friday 20 September, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. The Committee focused on the plan compiled in Geneva by US Secretary of State and Russia's Foreign Minister to place Syria's chemical weapons under international control and destroy them. Finland's capabilities to support this action was also discussed.
The Committee welcomes the US-Russia plan aiming to swiftly destroy Syria's chemical weapons stockpile. Implementation of the plan is to be initiated after a decision of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and a UN Security Council resolution. Finland will consider its opportunities to provide experts or technical support and thus participate in international support measures to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons capabilities.
As far as chemical weapons are concerned, the US-Russia plan does not solve the Syrian crisis but hopefully creates the prerequisites for the UN Security Council to advance the political process aiming to settle the conflict.
At the meeting, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy also discussed the state of the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions. Finland considers the Oslo convention significant from the humanitarian point of view and participates in its implementation through humanitarian mine action. There have been no such changes in the circumstances that would enable Finland to join the convention.
Future developments relating to the EU's common security and defence policy were also discussed at the meeting.
Inquiries: Kirsti Kauppi, Director-General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 351 561; Timo Kantola, Deputy Director General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 351 477; and Helena Partanen, Director of Unit, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 310