Finnish President Sauli Niinisto made statements on Turkiye’s attitude and concerns about Finland and Sweden joining NATO. Niinisto said that there had been a meeting between the three countries and that the next meeting had not been organized despite Finland’s willingness, but that “we are in constant contact several times a day” and that he was confident that the talks would continue.
“The process is so stuck that it’s no wonder nothing has been said about progress, because nothing has happened,” Niinisto said in an interview with YLE TV1 in Finland on Monday, Bloomberg News reported, but added that “this should not be taken as bad news.”
Finland and Sweden tried to join NATO last month after Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, but Turkey vetoed the decision. President Erdoğan has often called on Sweden and Finland to do more to fight terrorism.
Turkey has demanded that Sweden and Finland designate the PKK and its affiliates as terrorist organizations before they are allowed to join NATO, and that both countries lift some restrictions on arms sales to Ankara. It also wants the extradition of some names.
“WE ARE IN CONTACT SEVERAL TIMES A DAY”
Niinisto said that there had been meetings between the three countries and that the next meeting had not been organized despite Finland’s willingness, but that he was confident that the talks would continue, saying, “We are in constant contact several times a day.”
“One of Turkey’s goals could be to really shine a light on terrorism against it, to make the world see it and take it seriously,” Niinisto said. But we already condemn all acts of terrorism.”
Niinisto added that Finland’s counter-terrorism practices are in line with those of the average NATO country and that it has recently renewed the relevant legislation, so there is ‘not much they can do’ to improve it.
STOLTENBERG SAID “WE UNDERSTAND TURKEY’S CONCERNS”
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg also stressed that he is in close dialogue with both countries about the concerns expressed by Turkey about its fight against the terrorist organization PKK, and said he welcomed the fact that Sweden has started to amend its anti-terrorism legislation and will provide a legal framework for arms exports as a prospective NATO member.
