For Finland: “It is not possible to maintain” all our embassies

(BRUXELLES2) "We will also have to make structural changes in the diplomatic mission network. It is not possible to maintain almost 100 contact points abroad with the known appropriations. Resources must be targeted at regions and countries whose importance for Finland is increasing". Here in a nutshell is the commentary of the Secretary of State Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pertti Torstila, in his speech to the heads of Finnish delegations abroad, held at the end of August in Helsinki. The foreign affairs budget has been reduced by 6,5 million euros for 2011 and the trend for 2012-2015 is "decline". Without claiming that the future diplomatic service will be able to represent Finnish interests abroad, on the contrary, Finland cannot however think that this new service will make it possible to disengage from certain less strategic "points" for the Nordic country. "A successful External Action Service will make small Member States the biggest winners. The EU service will reach places that are beyond a small country's resources or where they are not needed" he acknowledges. And the Minister to display his job objectives for the future foreign service: "between 15 and 30 Finns in the service and two heads of embassies".

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

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