Finland: Rediscovering Its Nordic Neighbours After an EU Honeymoon?

Part of a special journal symposium, "European Security & Transatlantic Relations in the Age of International Terrorism: Challenges for the Nordic Countries," which contains articles originally presented on a panel at the 2005 annual convention of the International Studies Assoc in Honolulu, HI. Tensions between the "realism" vs "Europeanism" of Finland in terms of its relationship with its neighboring countries & security policy are explored, noting changes since the country first joined the EU. It is shown that Finland has retreated somewhat from its initial attempts to distance itself from its Nordic neighbors & wholehearted embrace of supranationalism & European monetary union; since 2001, there have been increased efforts to cooperate on security matters with other Nordic countries, as well as some of the Baltic states. Finland's rejection of the EU common defense clause & attitudes toward the enlargement of NATO are also examined. 10 References. K. Hyatt-Stewart