The chairman of the opposition National Coalition, Jyrki Katainen, says that NATO membership is still a real option for Finland. He also touched on a number of international issues in an interview with a YLE current events show.
Katainen said that he was generally pleased with the government's security policy released on Friday. He says it increases cooperation with NATO, and he called for a more active debate on the possibility of becoming a full member.
Commenting on international issues, he said he agreed with Presisdent Tarja Halonen's assessment that the US-led war in Iraq was illegal.
However, says Katainen, placing blame was no longer as important as helping Iraq get back on its feet.
He also admitted that he agreed more with Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry's politics than with President George Bush's - despite the fact that the National Coalition is affiliated with the Republican party.
YLE24