Helsinki, Dec 7 (IANS): Finnish Defence Minister Carl Haglund has said that Finland and Sweden could have a joint navy and air force in five years.
He said this to the Swedish daily Hufvudstadsbladet Saturday, the Finnish Independence Day, Xinhua reported.
Haglund said such cooperation would require a formal military alliance between Finland and Sweden, and it should be part of the programme of the next Finnish government.
He gave the Netherlands and Belgium as an example of European countries that have amalgamated their naval forces.
Haglund said Finland would have access to submarines by forging an alliance with Sweden.
Defence cooperation between Finland and Sweden has come up increasingly in public statements in both countries.
The commander of the Swedish Defence Forces, Sverker Goranson, suggested last month that there would be a joint command structure in the Baltic Sea by 2023.