Even though the threat of an armed aggression in the region is low, it cannot be ruled out completely in the long term. Writes Ari Puheloinen, the General Commander of the Finish Defence Forces, in a new Baltic Rim Economies expert article about the security in the Baltic Sea area published by the Pan-European Institute in Finland.
“A wider conflict or a regional crisis could result in the use of political pressure or military force in this confined area. Therefore, countries continue to prepare for external security challenges, especially in the challenging maritime arena,” writes Ari Puheloinen.
“The interests of NATO and Russia also affect the Baltic Sea region. More emphasis is given to Article 5 obligations as NATO reorients itself to a time after broad scale crisis management operations. Russia’s military activities have increased since the 1990s and the early years of the 2000s. The changes will be reflected in an increase in the number of military exercises in the Baltic area in the future,” foresees the General Commander of the Finish Defence Forces.
To maintain a safe and secure maritime environment and to prevent friction and maintain the positive development, he calls for a continuing proces of networking and building partnerships.
” It is important to take small steps in the right direction,” is the message from Ari Puheloinen.
You can find the whole story as expert article 1402 - in Baltic Rim Economies survey 7 2013-