Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly accepted a proposal to use for membership of the NATO military 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 resolution was pending parliament's approval.

Of the 200 lawmakers, 188 voted in favour and eight against the application, Speaker Matti Vanhanen stated.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the choice was no purpose to have a good time as a result of "there's war in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO will not change our basic pondering that we are going to at all times search peaceable options and we are a peace-loving nation that will first and foremost search diplomatic options to every conflict," he said in the course of the debate.

Opponents to the application included some lawmakers from the Left Alliance, a 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 change into the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a threat solely through the utility process however relatively a brand new and everlasting situation of our foreign and security coverage," he stated.

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

"Having heard a really large variety of consultants and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the federal government that Finland ought to apply for membership in NATO. This determination is unanimous," chairman Jussi Halla-aho instructed reporters.

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

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