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 navy alliance in a historic policy shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Sauli Niinisto and the government determined formally on Sunday that Finland would apply for membership but the determination was pending parliament's approval.

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

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International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned the decision was no cause to celebrate as a result of "there is battle in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our primary pondering that we will at all times search peaceable solutions and we're a peace-loving nation that will at the beginning search diplomatic options to every battle," he said during the debate.

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

"Our border would turn into the border between the military alliance and Russia. New tensions wouldn't be a risk only in the course of the software process however relatively a new and permanent situation of our foreign and safety policy," he stated.

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

"Having heard a very large variety of experts and having obtained the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international 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; Enhancing by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

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