Right at the opening of the Atlantic Alliance summit in Madrid, Turkey has veto removed on the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO. To finally sanction the turning point, a summit – which lasted four hours – of the three countries, in addition to a memorandum signed by their foreign ministers, in the presence of Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general, and their leaders: Erdogan, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
In the document signed by Turkey, Finland and Sweden, the cooperation of the countries is foreseen for oppose the Kurdish party-militia of the PKK, which Erdogan considers a terrorist organization, and a commitment not to support organizations affiliated with the PKK or others that could compromise the security of Turkey, such as the movement headed by Fetullah Gulen. Erdogan had accused Finland, and even more so Sweden, of offering a safe haven to Kurdish rebels.
In addition to these clauses, the memorandum also provides for judicial guarantees on the extradition of Kurdish wanted people, on what according to Turkey is “terrorist propaganda” and on intelligence. Furthermore, it is sanctioned stop the arms embargo towards Ankara.
Turkey could have prevented the two Nordic countries from joining NATO, since all members of the military bloc must agree on the entry of new members. In a statement, Ankara said the deal means “full cooperation with Turkey in the fight against the PKK and its affiliates», And that Sweden and Finland are« showing solidarity with Turkey in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations ».
Stoltenberg confirmed that NATO’s 30 leaders will now officially invite Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometer border with Russia, and Sweden to join the Atlantic Alliance, and that NATO “has resolved its differences”becoming a more united – and enlarged – front in the face of Russian aggression.
Source: Vanity Fair
