Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, Might 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 government determined officially on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the choice 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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Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the choice was no reason to rejoice as a result of "there's warfare in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our primary thinking that we are going to all the time search peaceable options and we are a peace-loving nation that may at the start seek diplomatic options to each conflict," he mentioned through the debate.

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

"Our border would grow to be the border between the army alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk solely throughout the software course of but somewhat a new and everlasting situation of our foreign and security policy," he said.

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

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

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

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