The Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed International exercises by the Finnish defence forces

Government Communications Unit

Press release 60/2007
2.3.2007

On Friday, 2 March, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed a plan for international exercises this year by the defence forces and adopted amendments to it. The amendments relate to military exercises with Sweden. An addition to the plan is a bilateral exercise by the two air forces scheduled for May 2007. It was furthermore agreed that a planned bilateral exercise of the two naval forces will be combined with a exercise organised for October 2007 in the Baltic Sea in the spirit of NATO partnership for peace.

At the meeting it was noted that Finland would join the BICES (Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System), used by the EU’s battle groups, and its network. The system has been developed in the framework of NATO and is administered under its supervision. It is currently being used in the EU ALTHEA operation and in the NATO-led Kosovo and Afghanistan operations.

The meeting also discussed the implementation of the Government Resolution on Securing the Functions Vital to Society, which was approved on 23 November 2006, in terms of economic infrastructure, electronic information and telecommunications systems, and information security. The Committee will be advised on other areas of the strategy in due course.

Further information: Olli-Pekka Jalonen, Head of Department, tel. +358 9 1608 8154, the Finnish Ministry of Defence, and Risto Volanen, State Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 9 1602 2006