HELSINKI, April 25 (Xinhua) -- It is in Finland's national interest for the country to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), said the newly inaugurated Finnish Defense Minister Jyri Hakamies on Wednesday.

    Hakamies said in an interview with a local TV station that he was in support of NATO membership and that the new Finnish government would discuss the possibility of joining the alliance while it was in office.

    Finland's decision on the NATO issue largely depended on whether it could be assured of its national security by the European Union, he said.

    Finland's four-party center-right cabinet was sworn in last week.

    While the National Coalition Party, one of the parties in the ruling coalition, is perceived as more open to joining NATO, public opinion is strongly against membership.

    Finland is a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace Program.

    If it joins the military alliance, the membership can help boost Finland's national security in the long run, Hakamies said, adding that his country hoped to be better informed in many respects and also to participate in NATO's decision making process if it joined NATO.

    He also said Finland planned to expand military cooperation with neighboring Sweden, which might benefit his country.