The Resolute Support operation will see a NATO-led international coalition deployed to train, advise and assist Afghan security forces after 2014.
“The operation will involve an international team of 10,000 to 12,000 troops,” said Mikko Kinnunen, head of the Foreign Ministry’s unit for security policy and crisis management.
Kinnunen said that initial plans had been drawn up for Finland’s participation in the new Afghan operation.
Decision still to be made
Last December the government’s foreign and security policy ministerial committee TP-UTVA decided that Finland should prepare a force of some 80 soldiers to take part in the mission.
However a final decision on Finland’s participation is still to be made. The complex decision-making process has come to a standstill for reasons that have nothing to do with Finland.
“We can’t make a decision before NATO has agreed certain basic issues with Afghanistan. The most important official agreement is the treaty between NATO and Afghanistan on the status of the troops,” Kinnunen explained.
All participating states on hold
“National decisions need to be made in sufficient time before the end of the previous operation. The later the decisions are made the more difficulty they will cause for the Defence Forces,” Kinnunen remarked.
Finland still needs to table the proposed participation in the Parliament before a final decision. Once Parliament has had its say, the matter will be referred back to the government and ultimately the President, who will have the final word.
The crisis management operation conducted by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan will end on December 31. The subsequent mission R_esolute Support_ is scheduled to begin immediately on the conclusion of the ISAF operation.
