Finland’s parliament votes sure to NATO

HELSINKI, May 17 (Reuters) - Finland's parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly authorized a proposal to use for membership of the NATO military alliance in a historic coverage shift prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Sauli Niinisto and the 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 said.

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Overseas Minister Pekka Haavisto stated the decision was no reason to celebrate because "there is conflict in Europe".

"Finland's membership in NATO won't change our fundamental considering that we will at all times search peaceful solutions and we are a peace-loving nation that can initially search diplomatic options to every battle," he stated during the debate.

Opponents to the appliance 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 leading to 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 only in the course of the application process however slightly a new and everlasting condition of our international and safety policy," he said.

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

"Having heard a really massive number of consultants and having acquired the opinions of 10 (parliamentary) committees, the international affairs committee agrees with the 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; Modifying by Robert Birsel and Alison Williams

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