Turkey sets demands, not opposed to Finland, Sweden NATO bid

Turkey

NATO and the United States say they are confident Turkey will not impede the membership of Finland and Sweden in the Western military alliance, despite Ankara expressing reservations.

Turkey laid out demands on Sunday on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Berlin, saying it wanted the two Nordic countries to end support for Kurdish militant groups present on their territory, and to lift the ban on sales of some arms to Turkey.

Foreign Minister Mevlut

Cavusoglu said his talks with Swedish and Finnish counterparts in Berlin had been helpful.

The two countries had made suggestions to respond to Ankara’s concerns, which Turkey would consider.

Cavusoglu added that he had provided proof that “terrorists” were present on their territory.

He singled out Sweden in particular, saying the Kurdish militant group the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), banned as “terrorist” by the US and European Union, had held meetings in Stockholm over the weekend.

Nevertheless, he said, Turkey did not oppose the alliance’s policy of being open to all European nations that wish to apply.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he was confident “that we will be able to address the concerns that Turkey has expressed in a way that doesn’t delay the membership”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to go into details after closed-door conversations on the issue in Berlin, but echoed Stoltenberg’s position.