Finland\u2019s government plans to remove a legal ban that blocks nuclear weapons from entering the country. The proposal links the change to national defence and cooperation with NATO allies.<\/p>\n
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The plan forms part of amendments to Finland\u2019s Nuclear Energy Act. Defence minister Antti H\u00e4kk\u00e4nen announced the proposal at a press briefing in Helsinki on Thursday evening.<\/p>\n
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The current law from the 1980s bans the import, possession, manufacture and detonation of nuclear explosives on Finnish territory.<\/p>\n
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The government now seeks to remove those restrictions from the nuclear energy law and place rules on nuclear explosives under the criminal code. The revised system would still ban Finland from producing, developing or detonating nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n
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The change would permit the import, transport or possession of a nuclear explosive in Finland if the act relates to military defence or cooperation with NATO. The government states that Finland does not seek nuclear weapons for its territory.<\/p>\n
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Defence minister H\u00e4kk\u00e4nen said the reform responds to the country\u2019s security environment after Finland joined NATO. \u201cThe legislation does not match the needs Finland has as a NATO member,\u201d H\u00e4kk\u00e4nen said during the briefing. \u201cThe goal is to ensure full protection for Finland in all situations.\u201d<\/p>\n
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He stressed that the proposal does not mean nuclear weapons will be stationed in the country.<\/p>\n
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Permanent deployment would require a separate international treaty and approval by parliament and the Finnish state leadership.<\/p>\n
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The reform would also allow nuclear weapons to pass through Finnish territory in certain circumstances.<\/p>\n
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The minister repeated that Finland does not aim to host nuclear weapons and that NATO exercises in Finland do not involve real nuclear warheads.<\/p>\n
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Government officials state that the change seeks to align Finnish law with common practice among NATO states. Absolute bans similar to Finland\u2019s current legislation are rare in the alliance.<\/p>\n
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The United States maintains nuclear weapons in several European NATO countries, including Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Turkey. France and the United Kingdom hold their own nuclear arsenals.<\/p>\n
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