(Obviously there's a lot of interest in Sweden about the possible NATO membership of Finland, so what can you say? Could we expect an application for NATO from Finland?)
We have an excellent cooperation with Foreign Minister Anne Linde. We have been sharing information and sharing the timetable of our countries. This week in Finland the government will table a white paper on security to the Parliament and this gives the Parliament now a possibility to discuss all the aspects of possible NATO membership or other security solutions, and then based on that debate of course, government will make the conclusions together with the President of the Republic. It's very important that we see that little bit similar process is ongoing in Sweden with the group of the parliamentary parties, Foreign Minister and the First Minister leading that process. Of course we are exchanging information, but we understand that both countries are making their independent decisions.
(And when you say we will reach conclusions, does that mean take a decision on membership?)
Well, I would leave it to the Parliament because the parliamentary debate is ahead of us. But it's clear that there is a willingness in the Parliament to discuss about all aspects of the security situation. The main committee for that debate is the Foreign Affairs Committee, and we have also established this kind of other parliamentary body to coordinate the debate between the political parties. So of course the aim is to reach consensus. What should be done, and then if needed, be already to go ahead.
(If the process takes longer time in Sweden, would that be sort of an obstacle for Finland, or would you simply proceed on your own?)
Timetables are open I think on the both sides of the sea in the way that we cannot guarantee which day the Parliament will be ready, and also I think the Swedish process will take time, but of course we exchange all the time information and hopefully if you make a similar kind of decisions we could do them around the same time. Thank you.
