Finnish president says joining NATO would require referendumHELSINKI (Reuters) - Any move by Finland to join NATO would need public approval via a referendum, President Sauli Niinisto told a panel debate on Monday ahead of elections in January. The Nordic country is a member of the European Union but has stayed outside the NATO military alliance in line with its tradition of avoiding confrontation with Russia, with which it shares an 833 mile (1,340 km) border and a difficult history. It has forged closer ties with NATO in recent years, however, sharing information and taking part in military exercises, reflecting concerns in Finland about the Ukraine crisis and increased East-West tensions in the Baltic Sea. Niinisto, who is expected to easily win a second six-year term in the Jan. 28 election, did not indicate whether he favoured joining NATO but said a decision to apply for full membership would require a referendum.  I am convinced that (membership) decision would require legitimacy, a wide acceptability... I would warn against making decisions where a significant part of citizens would get deep wounds,  Niinisto said in a panel discussion in Helsinki.     Only 21 percent of Finns support joining NATO, while 51 percent are opposed, a poll by YLE showed in February. Niinisto, 69, who will stand as an independent candidate after previously representing the conservative National Coalition Party, is known for cultivating good relations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Finland s president is in charge of foreign and defence policy together with the government.  Nils Torvalds, the only one of seven presidential candidates who advocates joining NATO, said politicians needed to show leadership on the issue.  The thesis of a referendum blocks the discussion on membership. Everybody s waiting for a referendum and are not taking a stance on the real question ... We do have a parliament to decide on issues.   To apply for a membership when a crisis is knocking on the door, forget that. The membership must be applied for when the weather is still rather beautiful.  Torvalds, a politician for Swedish People s Party of Finland, had 1 percent support in a recent opinion poll while Niinisto had 76 percent. Finland s centre-right government has said it will monitor the security situation in the region and retain the option of joining NATO. Russia, which has opposed NATO s eastward expansion has said any move by Helsinki to join would be of  special concern .  worldnews
finnish president says joining nato would require referendumhelsinki reuters any move finland join nato would need public approval via referendum president saudi niinisto told panel debate monday ahead elections january the nordic country member european union stayed outside nato military alliance line tradition avoiding confrontation russia shares mile km border difficult history it forged closer ties nato recent years however sharing information taking part military exercises reflecting concerns finland ukraine crisis increased tensions basic sea niinisto expected easily win second term election indicate whether favoured joining nato said decision apply full membership would require referendum i convinced membership decision would require legitimacy wide acceptability i would warn making decisions significant part citizens would get deep wounds niinisto said panel discussion helsinki only percent finds support joining nato percent opposed poll yle showed february niinisto stand independent candidate previously representing conservative national coalition party known cultivating good relations russian counterpart vladimir putin finland president charge foreign defence policy together government nil torvalds one seven presidential candidates advocates joining nato said politicians needed show leadership issue the thesis referendum blocks discussion membership everybody waiting referendum taking stance real question we parliament decide issues to apply membership crisis knocking door forget the membership must applied weather still rather beautiful torvalds politician swedish people party finland percent support recent opinion poll niinisto percent finland government said monitor security situation region retain option joining nato russia opposed nato eastward expansion said move helsinki join would special concern worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Finnish president says joining NATO would require referendumHELSINKI (Reuters) - Any move by Finland to join NATO would need public approval via a referendum, President Sauli Niinisto told a panel debate on Monday ahead of elections in January. The Nordic country is a member of the European Union but has stayed outside the NATO military alliance in line with its tradition of avoiding confrontation with Russia, with which it shares an 833 mile (1,340 km) border and a difficult history. It has forged closer ties with NATO in recent years, however, sharing information and taking part in military exercises, reflecting concerns in Finland about the Ukraine crisis and increased East-West tensions in the Baltic Sea. Niinisto, who is expected to easily win a second six-year term in the Jan. 28 election, did not indicate whether he favoured joining NATO but said a decision to apply for full membership would require a referendum.  I am convinced that (membership) decision would require legitimacy, a wide acceptability... I would warn against making decisions where a significant part of citizens would get deep wounds,  Niinisto said in a panel discussion in Helsinki.     Only 21 percent of Finns support joining NATO, while 51 percent are opposed, a poll by YLE showed in February. Niinisto, 69, who will stand as an independent candidate after previously representing the conservative National Coalition Party, is known for cultivating good relations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Finland s president is in charge of foreign and defence policy together with the government.  Nils Torvalds, the only one of seven presidential candidates who advocates joining NATO, said politicians needed to show leadership on the issue.  The thesis of a referendum blocks the discussion on membership. Everybody s waiting for a referendum and are not taking a stance on the real question ... We do have a parliament to decide on issues.   To apply for a membership when a crisis is knocking on the door, forget that. The membership must be applied for when the weather is still rather beautiful.  Torvalds, a politician for Swedish People s Party of Finland, had 1 percent support in a recent opinion poll while Niinisto had 76 percent. Finland s centre-right government has said it will monitor the security situation in the region and retain the option of joining NATO. Russia, which has opposed NATO s eastward expansion has said any move by Helsinki to join would be of  special concern .  worldnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: finnish president says joining nato would require referendumhelsinki reuters any move finland join nato would need public approval via referendum president saudi niinisto told panel debate monday ahead elections january the nordic country member european union stayed outside nato military alliance line tradition avoiding confrontation russia shares mile km border difficult history it forged closer ties nato recent years however sharing information taking part military exercises reflecting concerns finland ukraine crisis increased tensions basic sea niinisto expected easily win second term election indicate whether favoured joining nato said decision apply full membership would require referendum i convinced membership decision would require legitimacy wide acceptability i would warn making decisions significant part citizens would get deep wounds niinisto said panel discussion helsinki only percent finds support joining nato percent opposed poll yle showed february niinisto stand independent candidate previously representing conservative national coalition party known cultivating good relations russian counterpart vladimir putin finland president charge foreign defence policy together government nil torvalds one seven presidential candidates advocates joining nato said politicians needed show leadership issue the thesis referendum blocks discussion membership everybody waiting referendum taking stance real question we parliament decide issues to apply membership crisis knocking door forget the membership must applied weather still rather beautiful torvalds politician swedish people party finland percent support recent opinion poll niinisto percent finland government said monitor security situation region retain option joining nato russia opposed nato eastward expansion said move helsinki join would special concern worldnews