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Syrian conflict and the international dimension of the national main military exercise of 2021 on the agenda at the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy

Government Communications Department
Publication date 20.4.2018 13.08 | Published in English on 20.4.2018 at 16.38
Press release 208/2018

On Friday 20 April, the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discussed the situation in Syria. Chemical weapons have been repeatedly used in the Syrian conflict. Finland has condemned the attack in Douma on 7 April. Chemical weapons are banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to which Syria is a party. The Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) team of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is deployed to the Syrian Arab Republic to establish facts around the allegations of chemical weapons use in Douma.

The use of chemical weapons cannot go without consequences. The purpose of the missile attack to Syria by the United States, France and Great Britain on 14 April was to weaken Syria’s capability to use chemical weapons and show that their use is not acceptable. The EU Foreign Affairs Council unanimously condemned the use of chemical weapons on 16 April and expressed its support to all efforts aimed at the prevention of their use.

Finland will seek to ensure that the perpetrators of the chemical attacks are held to account for their actions. On 16 April, Finland joined the International Partnership against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons (Paris Partnership). Finland also funds the UN accountability mechanism.

A sustainable solution to the Syrian conflict and human suffering can only achieved through UN-led political negotiations. Finland stresses the responsibility of the permanent members of the UN Security Council in reaching a solution and holding the perpetrators of chemical attacks accountable.

At the Brussels Conference on Syria on 24–25 April, the aim is to relaunch the support for the political process and commitment of the international community to assist the victims of the Syrian war also in future. 

The Finland’s assistance to Syria is essentially responding to the immediate relief needs of the affected population. In addition, Finland provides support to strengthen the resilience of local communities, especially in neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees. This year two-thirds of the quota refugees to Finland will come from Syria. Finland will also continue its support to mediation and peace building in Syria.

The President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy decided on a major international exercise to be organised in connection with the national main military exercise of 2021. The aim is to strengthen Finland's defence capability and readiness and exercise in receiving international assistance and interoperability. The details of the exercise will be decided as the planning proceeds

Inquiries: Jukka Salovaara, Director General, tel. +358 295 350 636, Tanja Jääskeläinen, Ambassador, Special Representative (Syria), tel. +358 295 350 303, Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Janne Kuusela, Director General (main military exercise), tel. +358 295 140 300, Ministry of Defence.