Ilkka Kanerva (NCP), the chairperson of the Parliament’s Defence Committee, has reminded that international co-operation is important for the military intelligence operations of Finland.
Ilkka Kanerva (NCP), the chairperson of the Parliament’s Defence Committee, has revealed that the committee is planning on paying a visit to the Finnish Defence Intelligence Agency (VKoeL) in Tikkakoski, Central Finland.
Kanerva told Uusi Suomi on Tuesday that he proposed the visit before the publication of an article shedding light on the operations of the secretive agency by Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday.
“I presented the committee with the idea of us making an on-site visit to familiarise ourselves with the operations during the spring term,” he stated. “Saturday’s article hasn’t changed any of that, on the contrary.”
The Defence Committee backed the proposal but has yet to schedule the visit.
Kanerva estimated that the visit will offer members of the committee an opportunity to learn about the operations of the VKoeL. “We’re not talking about any secret information, but perfectly normal, general-level information,” he clarified.
Helsingin Sanomat’s much-discussed article, he also estimated, is meaningful not only because of the information it contained but, primarily, because of the possible ramifications of the disclosure of classified information to the newspaper for the reputation of Finland.
“A significant share of our defence information is such that’s obtained through co-operation with others,” he reminded. “But if one party can’t keep its secrets, that isn’t a really attractive quality for a partner to have.”
Aleksi Teivainen – HT Photo: Markku Ulander – Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi
