“Both countries express that they are committed to the memorandum, but what matters is the execution,” Cavusoglu said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Istanbul, according to a translation by Turkish television network TRT.
Finland and Sweden applied to join NATO in May in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but faced opposition from Ankara, which accused the countries of supporting “terrorism” by harboring Kurdish fighters wanted by Turkey. state. The three countries struck a deal in June in which the Nordic states pledged to “expeditiously address outstanding requests to deport or extradite terror suspects from Turkey” and lift an alleged arms embargo on Ankara. The agreement cleared the only major obstacle to the countries joining the military alliance. The unanimous consent of the 30 NATO members is required.
Cavusoglu said countries have taken positive steps, such as with export rules. “But, he added, “at the moment we cannot say that all these commitments have been fulfilled [to] from these countries”. Stoltenberg says he believes Sweden and Finland are ready to join Picture: Cem Ozdel/AA/picture alliance

Stoltenberg: “The time has come”

Stoltenberg, who met with leaders from Sweden and Finland in recent days, said the countries were doing everything they could to implement the joint memorandum. Sweden is in the process of banning membership of terrorist organizations, which will help the number of people who can be extradited, he noted. “Sweden and Finland have delivered,” Stoltenberg said. “It is time to welcome Finland and Sweden as full members of NATO,” he said. The inclusion of the two already close partners in NATO’s ranks was vital “to avoid any misunderstanding or miscalculation in Moscow” and to send a clear signal that the door to alliances remains open, Stoltenberg stressed.

The timeline remains unclear

The agreement was hailed as a breakthrough when it was signed at the NATO summit in Madrid. However, shortly afterwards, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to freeze the application process due to alleged pedestrians in the publications. Months later, only Turkey and Hungary have yet to ratify accessions, although Budapest is expected to do so soon. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto expressed confidence in a tweet on Wednesday that “Finland can count on Hungary” for ratification after talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
As Cavusoglu hinted on Thursday, Turkey’s complaints are mainly about Sweden, which has a sizable Kurdish diaspora population and is known for its generous attitude towards political exiles and refugees.
The Swedish government recently changed hands, bending to the right. Cavusoglu expressed optimism that the change in government would help.
Both NATO candidacies are linked, so Helsinki must wait for Stockholm. Stoltenberg is also due to meet Erdogan on Friday in Istanbul during his visit to Turkey.
Of particular interest to Ankara are Turkish residents with alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which launched an insurgency against the Turkish state in the 1980s and demands equal rights for the minority group. The conflict has claimed an estimated 40,000 lives. Turkey, the United States and the EU label the PKK a terrorist organization.

Turkish doctors under attack

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