Uutta tietoa

Portugalin presidentti vieraili Suomessa lokakuussa 2002. Media kertoi joistakin jokseenkin toisarvoisista kaupallisista keskusteluista. Miksi sen sijaan allaolevaa portugalilaisessa lehdessä ollutta AFP:n uutista ei ole julkaistu Suomessa? Presidentti Tarja Halonen ilmaisi yksiselitteisesti Portugalin presidentille Suomen ovien olevan auki NATO:lle.



Finland's President says country open to NATO membership.

Finland's armed forces have participated so far in three NATO-led operations, two in the former Yugoslavia and one Afghanistan. -But the majority of Finns -- two-thirds according to recent opinion polls -- are against the idea of abandoning their long-standing neutrality and joining NATO.

LISBON, Oct 8 (AFP) - Finland is open to joining the military alliance, NATO, the country's president said in an interview published Tuesday in a Portuguese daily.

"We have excellent relations with NATO, we participate in operations in times of crises," Tarja Halonen told Publico. "NATO has its doors open to us, maybe one day we will apply for membership."

Finland's armed forces have participated so far in three NATO-led operations, two in the former Yugoslavia and one Afghanistan.

In September, a senior Finnish military official said the country's armed forces were now compatible with those of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and ready to join the alliance if such a political decision were taken.

But the majority of Finns -- two-thirds according to recent opinion polls -- are against the idea of abandoning their long-standing neutrality and joining NATO.

http://www.kominf.pp.fi/