Parliament begins NATO debate, stressing ´same pace´ with Sweden

Several lawmakers on Wednesday stressed keeping the same pace with neighbouring Sweden on the issue of joining NATO as the parliament began processing the extensive security document submitted by the government last week, reported Xinhua.

In the document, the cabinet took no stand on the membership but said membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO would reduce tension in the Baltic basin area in the long term.

The Parliament will not at this stage vote on the Finnish NATO membership, but the matter reverts back to the cabinet and the president.

The parliamentary vote would occur at the end of the possible membership application process as Finland ratifies the agreement to join.

It is still unknown whether a simple majority would be sufficient for the passing or whether a two-thirds majority would be required. The issue is to be solved by the parliamentary constitutional committee, national broadcaster Yle reported.

Addressing the parliament, Prime Minister Sanna Marin expressed the hope that the parliament would debate the matter, showing respect to different views. "Unity is the best guarantee for security," she said.

"The time for decisions has come," Marin said. She elaborated that following recent decisions to boost defense, including a major air force investment, it is now time to talk about NATO membership.

Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto underlined the importance of roughly simultaneous decisions by Finland and Sweden. He said that parallel processes in joining NATO would ease responding to a possible reaction by Russia. "Same pace" in the Finnish and Swedish processes was also echoed by Antti Lindtman, the chair of the ruling Suomen Sosialidemokraattinen Puolue (Social Democratic Party of Finland-SDP) parliamentary group.

Haavisto also took up the need to keep in contact with Russia in the future. "Russia will always be a neighbour to Finland, and effort must be made to maintain functioning relations with Russia," said Haavisto, adding that Finnish decisions are not directed against anyone.

Erkki Tuomioja, former Foreign Minister and current deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the government report for lack of historical perspective.

Tuomioja said that a long-term view, both forward and backward, is needed. "The consideration of all good and bad aspects and risks must now be assessed by parliament," Tuomioja said, adding that he would base his stand on what information and answers will be obtained during the process.

In their speeches Wednesday, many MPs have considered NATO membership to be a justified choice for Finland in the parliamentary debate on the security report.

Defence Minister and Suomen Keskusta (Centre Party of Finland) lawmaker Antti Kaikkonen said the most important impact of the NATO membership would be that Finland would be part of joint defense and within security guarantees. "The impediment against attacking Finland would increase," he said.

Kaikkonen added that general conscription, trained reserve, and high appreciation of national defense by the population would be cornerstones of Finnish defense also in the future.

It was previously reported that there were opposing opinions to Finland joining NATO because, with NATO membership, Finland would have to send troops to participate in NATO operations.

Finland would itself decide whether Finnish soldiers are sent to NATO operations abroad, Kaikkonen said.