ISTANBUL 

Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen has announced that he has selected Rovaniemi, in the country’s northern Lapland region, as the location for NATO’s Forward Land Forces (FLF) headquarters.

Hakkanen said in a statement issued by the Defense Ministry on Monday that Rovaniemi will be the location of the Multinational Staff Element (MNSE) of the FLF.

"The focus of the operations of the FLF Finland battle group will be in Northern Finland and it will rely mainly on Rovaniemi and Sodankyla. Rovaniemi is the best place in Finland to locate a permanent FLF headquarters in terms of its synergy effects and reliance conditions," he said.

He noted that once established, headquarters will form the permanent presence of FLF in northern Finland.

Hakkanen stressed that multinational headquarters is "one part of strengthening NATO's deterrence and defense in the alliance's northern and Arctic regions."

"The multinational headquarters of the FLF will be permanently stationed in Finland, but the forces will be present in Finland on an exercise basis or as required by the security situation," the statement further noted.