Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Could 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved 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 determined formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the decision was pending parliament's approval.

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

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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the choice was no cause to rejoice because "there's struggle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our basic considering that we are going to always search peaceable options and we're a peace-loving nation that can first and foremost search diplomatic solutions to each conflict," he said during the debate.

Opponents to the application 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 leading to it being put to the vote.

"Our border would grow to be the border between the navy alliance and Russia. New tensions would not be a threat only through the software course of however slightly a brand new and permanent condition of our overseas and security policy," he mentioned.

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

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

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

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