US embassy cable - 05HELSINKI137

C O N F I D E N T I A L HELSINKI 000137 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/I AND EUR/NB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IZ, FI, Finland-Iraq 
SUBJECT: FINLAND: REACTION TO IRAQI ELECTIONS 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR EARLE I. MACK FOR REASONS 1.4 (B AND D) 
 
1. (C)  Finland's Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja has not 
issued a formal statement on the Iraqi elections, but told 
reporters in Brussels on January 31 that the elections were a 
step in the right direction.  He said that he was 
particularly encouraged that the majority of Iraqis voted 
despite the difficult conditions and inherent danger. 
Tuomioja said that "We are seeing a significant vote of 
confidence in the democratic process."  The Foreign Minister 
also stressed the need for "continued EU support" in Iraq in 
order to make positive progress toward stabilization and 
democracy.  Although President Tarja Halonen and Prime 
Minister Matti Vanhanen have not publicly remarked on the 
elections, Riisto Volanen, the Prime Minister's Chief of 
Staff, told DCM Weisberg that the GoF had decided to "speak 
with one voice" on the elections --  and that the voice was 
Tuomioja's.  Volanen said that this did not exclude the 
possibility of further comments by the Prime Minister, but 
that for the moment, Tuomioja spoke for the entire 
government. 
 
2. (C) During a working lunch with the Ambassador in Helsinki 
on February 2, an upbeat Tuomioja said that "we are all happy 
that the elections were able to be carried out despite the 
great difficulties, and that the turn-out was so high."  He 
commented ironically that voter participation was higher even 
than in European elections, or for that matter, U.S. 
presidential elections.  Tuomioja added that -- depending on 
the security situation, which remains precarious, despite the 
elections -- "the day is coming nearer" when Finland would be 
able to re-open its embassy in Baghdad.  (At present the 
Finnish ambassador to Damascus is also accredited to Iraq, 
although he has not yet presented his credentials there.) 
 
3. (C) The Ambassador thanked the minister for the 
contributions Finland has already made in Iraq -- supplying 
police instructors to the training facility in Jordan, 
playing a lead role in supporting the UN Protection Force 
with an early contribution of one million euros, and 
providing forensic scientists to survey mass graves.  We 
welcome Finland's engagement, and would welcome their ideas 
on what else they could do.  Regarding Finland's 
contributions to date, Tuomioja commented that some of the 
police trained by Finnish instructors have already been 
killed by insurgents, which unfortunately reflects the 
security environment.  He said he has also heard of 
allegations of human rights violations committed by Iraqi 
police officers, "which does not help matters."  In any case, 
the EU is still debating how to proceed, and may send a group 
to Iraq to survey the situation.  Finland would expect to 
participate in such a group. (Note:  Septel will follow with 
full report on the Ambassador's conversation with Tuomioja) 
 
Editorial comment on the elections 
---------------------------------- 
 
4. (U) Reaction in the Finnish media to the successful Iraqi 
elections was mostly positive, if guardedly so.  Finland's 
leading national daily, the Helsingin Sanomat, ran an 
editorial on February 1 warning that there was still a tough 
road ahead in Iraq, but acknowledging that "Even the sharpest 
critics of the President (Bush) ought to avoid the temptation 
of belittling the achievement simply because it is also a 
political victory for the White House."  Other dailies were 
more straightforward in their positive assessment of the 
election.  The centrist Aamulehti reported that "It will take 
several days before we get the final results, but we can 
declare one winner: the people of Iraq."  The ruling Center 
Party's official newspaper, Suomenmaa, wrote that "Clearly 
the election was a success.  It was a success for the 
policies of the U.S. ... it was also a great blow to the 
insurgents and the terrorists."  Coverage of the elections on 
Finland's major television networks was similar: cautious 
about the road ahead, but upbeat about the elections' success 
and what they meant to the Iraqi people. 
MACK