Finland and Sweden will send delegations to Ankara on Wednesday to try to resolve Turkish opposition to their NATO membership applications, according to Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.
Ankara’s objections have slowed what Sweden and Finland had hoped would be a quick accession process as the two countries seek to strengthen their security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
‘We understand that Turkey has some security concerns with regard to terrorism,’ Haavisto said during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos. ‘We believe that these issues can be resolved. There may also be issues that are not directly related to Finland and Sweden, but rather to other NATO members.’
Turkey claims that Sweden and Finland are harbouring members of the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating a 2016 coup attempt.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed that the talks would begin on Wednesday.
According to a list published by the president’s communications directorate, Turkey outlined five conditions for it to support Sweden’s NATO membership bid on Monday, demanding that Sweden lift sanctions against Turkey, including an arms export embargo; end ‘political support for terrorism’; eliminate sources of terrorism financing; and halt arms support to the PKK and its armed Syrian offshoot YPG.
‘Sweden, which has applied for membership,’ the directorate said in a statement, ‘is expected to take principled steps and provide concrete assurances regarding Turkey’s security concerns.’
Post Your Comments