The ceremony will begin
with an address by the secretary general.
President
Niinisto
Sauli. Ministers.
Ladies and gentlemen,
this is an historic day.
We welcome Finland as the newest
member of our alliance.
We will raise the Finnish flag
for the first time
here at the NATO headquarters.
31 flags flying together
as a symbol of our unity
and our solidarity.
On this day,
on the 4th of April, 1949
the Washington Treaty was signed
to create a shield
against aggression
and the fear of aggression.
For almost 75 years,
this great alliance has shielded
our nations and it continues to do so.
Today
but war has returned to Europe,
and Finland has decided to join NATO
and be part of the world's
most successful alliance.
This has been the
fastest accession
process in NATO's modern history.
Finland and Sweden applied for membership
last May in June
after a summit in Madrid.
Every ally invited them to join.
And today, less than a year later,
we welcome Finland
as a full member of our alliance.
I look forward to also welcoming
Sweden into the alliance
as soon as possible.
Finland is safer
and is stronger with Finland as an ally.
Your forces are substantial
and highly capable.
Your resilience is second to none
and for many years, troops in Finland
and NATO's
countries have worked
side by side as partners.
From today, we stand together as allies.
This sends a clear message
that every nation has the right
to choose its own path.
That need to store remains open,
and no one can close it
with force or coercion.
Naito is a community
united by our values freedom, democracy,
and the rule of law.
We stand together.
We protect and defend each other,
all for one and one for all.
President.
Minister Howley,
I'm glad to be here together with you
on this great day.
Thank you for your outstanding leadership
and your tireless work
to make this day possible.
I'm glad and I'm
proud to be the Secretary General
that welcomes Finland
fully into the Naito family.
Welcome to the Alliance
The President of Finland
will now deliver his address mat,
not the president that I felt alone
but can't open up.
I heard
Secretary General Stoltenberg.
Dear Defense
Ministers,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Phil Lord has today become the 31st
member of NATO's
the era of military.
Non-Alignment in our history has come
to an end.
A new era begins
Each country
maximizes its own security.
So does Finland.
Later, membership
strengthens our international position
and room for maneuver.
As a partner, we have already long
actively
participated in NATO's activities.
As an ally, Finland will contribute
to NATO's
collective deterrence and defense
Membership of the alliance
provides security for Finland.
Finland,
on the other hand, to provide security
for the alliance.
Finland, committed to the security
of all NATO's member states,
will be a reliable ally
that strengthens regional
stability
Finland's membership
is not targeted against anyone,
nor does it change the foundations
or objectives
of Finland's foreign and security policy.
Finland's a stable and predictable
Nordic country that seeks peaceful
resolution of disputes.
The principles and values
that are important to Finland
will continue
to guide our foreign policy
also in the future.
NATO's
membership, but
does not change everything.
But being an ally requires Finland
to adopt new ways of thinking
and some changes in legislation as well.
A lot has already been done For years
we have developed our NATO compatibility.
There's still considerable work ahead
to integrate Finland's
defense as part of NATO's common defense.
The Finnish defense forces are facing
new demands and challenges to which
we must respond
At the same time,
it is clear
that Finland's
most significant contribution to NATO's
collective deterrence
and defense is built
on the security
and defense of our own territory.
In this respect,
the Finland finish concept
of comprehensive security
retains its value,
but we no longer do this work alone.
Last year, Finland applied
to join NATO together with Sweden.
As I have stressed, Finland to
membership is not complete without
that of Sweden.
Our persistent efforts
for a
rapid Swedish membership will continue.
I look forward to seeing Sweden
to join us as the 32nd
member at the Vilnius Summit in July.
To add up, I want to thank you, Mr.
Secretary-General.
Dear Jens and your people.
Your help has been
very important.
You have been
backing us in
every moment of this procedure.
We really gave a lot of value to that
and to our partners.
Thank you.
Finland's
flag will now be raised
while the national anthem is played.
It will be raised
simultaneously at NATO headquarters.
And NATO's two
strategic commands,
ACO headquarters in Mons, Belgium,
and ACT headquarters
in Norfolk, Virginia.
News allotment on post today
alleviate the tempo
that Finland or the Libyan national
the cooler also simultanément.
Or C as to a low tone
a DoCoMo strategy to low tone.
Lazio among belgique a city a Norfolk
and with that Finland
is formally welcomed
as the 31st member of the NATO alliance.
From today
Finland will be formally covered
by NATO's iron clad security guarantee.
Article five
says it's
not an attack on one
ally is an attack on all all for one
and one for all those
the words of the head of NATO's
Jens Stoltenberg.