Finland

Last Updated: 02 September 2013

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

The Republic of Finland has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Finland continues to show interest in the Convention on Cluster Munitions and stated that it is considering the implications of joining. Finland has described the convention as “important from the humanitarian standpoint” and has expressed support for its goals and for “efforts towards its universalisation.”[1]

In September 2012, a Finnish official attending a meeting of the convention informed the CMC that the government’s top priority is to fulfill Finland’s obligations under the Mine Ban Treaty, which it acceded to on 9 January 2012. The official said that Finland continues to review the implications of joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions and cited Ministry of Defence concerns about replacing stockpiled cluster munitions as an obstacle to its accession.[2]

A 2009 government report on “Finnish Security and Defence Policy” found that the Convention on Cluster Munitions “significantly impacts Finland’s defence and its resource requirements.” According to the report, “Once a study relating to the Defence Forces’ capabilities has been completed,” the Convention on Cluster Munitions will be reassessed and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy will review the developments annually.[3]

Finland is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and in the past supported efforts to adopt a CCW protocol on cluster munitions. It is not known if its position on joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions will be reviewed following the CCW’s failure to conclude a protocol on cluster munitions in 2011.[4]

Finland participated throughout the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but consistently expressed reservations about the process and the convention text and was not supportive of a broad categorical ban on cluster munitions.[5] Finland joined the consensus adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in May 2008 but five months later announced that it would not sign the convention in Oslo in December 2008.[6] At the time, Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies stated, “cluster munitions play an important role in the credibility [and] autonomy…of Finnish defense.” The Finnish military claimed that due to costs and other factors it would not be possible to replace Finland’s stockpile of cluster munitions with alternative weapons within five to 10 years.[7] Finland has also cited security concerns over its border with Russia for its refusal to sign the convention.[8]

Despite not joining, Finland has continued to participate in the work of the Convention on Cluster Munitions since 2008. Finland has attended every meeting of States Parties of the convention as an observer, including the Third Meeting of States Parties in Oslo, Norway in September 2012. Finland participated in the convention’s first intersessional meetings in Geneva in June 2011 but did not attend those held in 2012 or 2013. Finland did not make any statements at these meetings.

Finland has not made a national statement to express concern at Syria’s use of cluster munitions, but voted in favor of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on 15 May 2013 that strongly condemned “the use by the Syrian authorities of...cluster munitions.”[9]

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

According to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, “Finland does not produce cluster munitions nor has [it] used them.”[10]

In early 2005, Patria, a Finnish company, made arrangements to co-produce a 120mm cluster munition mortar bomb called MAT-120 then produced by the Spanish company Instalaza SA. The deal was canceled in 2009 by Patria and the Finnish Defence Forces after Spain signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions. During the development of the program, Patria imported to Finland 305 “live” MAT-120 from Spain in 2005–2007 and also acquired 230 inert MAT-120 bombs. As of July 2011, a total of 136 “live” MAT-120 remained in the custody of the Finnish Defence Forces; none of the MAT-120 imported to Finland were exported.[11]

In 2010, a Ministry of Defence official stated that information on the size and composition of Finland’s stockpile of cluster munitions was confidential.[12] Finland has acknowledged possessing one type of cluster munition, the DM-662 155mm artillery projectile, which contains 49 dual-purpose improved conventional munition (DPICM) submunitions with self-destruct fuzes.[13]

In 2006, the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands announced the transfer of 18 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) launchers to Finland.[14] It was reported that 400 M26 rockets (each containing 644 M77 DPICM submunitions) were to be included in the sale for qualification testing and conversion into training rockets.[15]

 



[1] It also stated that Finland is monitoring implementation of the convention and undertaking a study of “the Defence Force’s capabilities and the international development work on cluster munitions, procurement options and costs.” Letter from Markku Virri, Arms Control Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, HEL7913-3, 10 March 2011.

[2] CMC meeting with Saila Söderman, Advisor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Convention on Cluster Munitions Third Meeting of States Parties, Oslo, 14 September 2012.

[3] “Finnish Security and Defence Policy 2009, Government Report,” Prime Minister’s Office Publications 13/2009, 5 February 2009, p. 64.

[4] Letter from Markku Virri, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, HEL7913-3, 10 March 2011.

[5] For details on Finland’s cluster munition policy and practice through early 2009, see Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Landmine Action, Banning Cluster Munitions: Government Policy and Practice (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, May 2009), pp. 202–204.

[6] “Disarmament: Finland Refuses to Sign Cluster Bomb Ban,” Europolitics, 4 November 2008. In a February 2009 letter to H, Finland said the decision was made by the President and the Cabinet Committee on Foreign and Security Policy. Letter from Mari Männistö, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 26 February 2009.

[7] “Disarmament: Finland Refuses to Sign Cluster Bomb Ban,” Europolitics, 4 November 2008; and “Finland Opts Out of Cluster Munitions Ban Treaty,” BBC Monitoring European, 3 November 2008.

[8] “Why is Finland reluctant to ban cluster bombs?” Mainichi Daily News, 7 December 2008.

[9] “The situation in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution A/67/L.63, 15 May 2013, www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/ga11372.doc.htm.

[10] Letter from Mari Männistö, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, 26 February 2009.

[11] The company also notes, “Patria does not develop, produce or sell cluster ammunition products.” Patria Corporation press release, “Patria’s mortar systems have not been used to fire cluster ammunition in Libya,” 7 July 2011, humanrightsinvestigations.org/category/cluster-munitions-2/.

[12] Email from Pentti Olin, Advisor, Ministry of Defence, 27 April 2010.

[13] Email from Tiina Raijas, Ministry of Defence, 8 June 2005.

[14] Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands press release, “Finland Receives Two MLRS Batteries,” 13 January 2006, www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/65835/dutch-sell-mlrs-batteries-to-finland-(jan-16).html. Translated by defense-aerospace.com.

[15] Joris Janssen, “Dutch Plan to Update Cluster Weapons,” Jane’s Defence Weekly, 19 October 2005.