Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accredited a proposal to use for membership of the NATO army alliance in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Sauli Niinisto and the government determined officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the decision was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight in opposition to the appliance, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no motive to celebrate because "there is war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our primary thinking that we are going to all the time search peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that may at first seek diplomatic solutions to each battle," he stated throughout the debate.

Opponents to the appliance included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, part of Finland's five-party coalition, amongst them Markus Mustajarvi who challenged the choice with a counter proposal leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would grow to be the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a threat only throughout the application course of however somewhat a brand new and everlasting condition of our overseas and security policy," he stated.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas affairs committee determined to hitch the state management in proposing to parliament that the Nordic nation should apply for membership.

"Having heard a very massive variety of specialists and having obtained the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the foreign affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This determination is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho advised reporters.

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Reporting by Anne Kauranen; Editing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

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