Finland and Sweden join NATO: Erdogan, exchanges and Stoltenberg tweet

Turkey opposes the accession of Finland and Sweden to Finland, with Recep Tayyip Erdogan noting yesterday: “Let them not bother to travel to Turkey to persuade us to approve their request”. The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, said that Turkey’s reservations about Finland and Sweden ‘s bid to join NATO should be taken into account.

“Turkey is a valuable ally and any (security) concerns must be addressed. “We must stand together at this historic moment,” Stoltenberg said on Twitter after a conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu. The Norwegian avoided expanding.

Finland and Sweden have formalized their intention to join NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But Ankara says it will only agree if certain conditions are met.

The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan He stressed that he could not agree to join the alliance of states that have imposed sanctions on his country and reiterated his accusation that Helsinki and Stockholm support “terrorist organizations” such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), or its Protection Units. People (YPG).

Moreover, during the meeting of his foreign ministers NATO in Berlin yesterday Sunday, Mr. Tsavousoglou succeeded against other member states because they have restricted arms exports to Turkey because of the war he is waging against the two Kurdish organizations, as broadcast by the German Agency and relayed by Athina.

Last week, Mr Erdogan accused the two Nordic countries of being “terrorist hostels”.

It is unclear how – in return – Turkey would be persuaded not to veto the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO, which the Atlantic Alliance wants completed by the summer. Diplomatic imgs believe that Helsinki and Stockholm guaranteeing counter-terrorism and arms deals could break the deadlock. Diplomats from the two Nordic countries are expected in Ankara in the coming days for talks.

It is noted that the Finland yesterday (15/5) decided to apply for NATO membershipwith the president of the country, Sauli Niinisto talking about “a historic day”.

24 hours later on the same decision was taken by Sweden, with the announcement made by Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson in the Stockholm parliament.


Source: News Beast

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