Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly permitted 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 federal government decided formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership however the determination was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight towards the applying, Speaker Matti Vanhanen mentioned.

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the choice was no reason to rejoice because "there's warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our fundamental pondering that we will at all times search peaceful options and we're a peace-loving nation that will initially seek diplomatic solutions to each battle," he mentioned through 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 decision with a counter proposal resulting in it being put to the vote.

"Our border would turn out to be the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a danger solely during the application process but rather a new and permanent condition of our international and safety policy," he stated.

Early on Tuesday, the overseas affairs committee decided to join the state leadership in proposing to parliament that the Nordic nation ought to apply for membership.

"Having heard a very giant number of specialists and having received the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the overseas affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland should apply for membership in NATO. This decision is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho informed reporters.

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

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