Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy

Government Communications Unit
Press Release 334/2011
18 November 2011

On Friday 18 November, the President of the Republic and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed Finland's participation in the UN crisis management operation, UNIFIL, in Lebanon. Finland intends to deploy a maximum of 200 soldiers to the operation together with Ireland. The Finnish contingent consists of an infantry company, staff officers and support elements and will be deployed in May 2012.

The meeting also discussed the possibility of updating the list of coordinates recorded in the Convention on the Non-Fortification and Neutralization of the Åland Islands. This would allow to mark the zone under the Convention regime on maps.

In addition, the Committee discussed Finland's support to the Montreux Document on Private Military and Security Companies. Finland welcomes the introduction of international regulation on the said sector.

Inquiries: Teemu Tanner, Director General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5032, Päivi Kaukoranta, Director General of the Legal Service, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. + 358 9 1605 5700, Helena Partanen, Director of Unit, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8135