Delegations from these countries shouldn’t bother asking Turkey to approve their requests, says president
Turkey will not sayYes” to Finland and Sweden’s NATO bids, the country’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday, adding that any attempt to persuade Ankara to change its position would be unsuccessful.
“These countries do not have a clear and unequivocal position against terrorist organizations. Sweden is the incubation center for terrorist organizations. They bring terrorists to speak in their parliaments. We would not say ‘yes’ to them joining NATO, a security organization. They were coming on Monday to convince us. Sorry, you don’t have to bother. Erdoğan said.
Both Finland and Sweden officially announced their intention to join the military alliance on Sunday. Turkey has warned it will oppose the move, with Erdogan calling the two Nordic countries “guest houses for terrorist organizations”. He was referring to the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the People’s Liberation Revolutionary Front (DHKP/C), which have been outlawed in his country.
The Swedish Foreign Ministry said on Monday that senior officials from Helsinki and Stockholm would travel to Turkey to discuss the matter. However, Erdogan said at the press conference that such talks would be pointless.
To join the alliance, a country’s membership candidacy must be unanimously approved by all 30 members.
NATO Assistant Secretary-General Mircea Geoana had previously said he was confident the bloc could overcome Turkey’s reservations.
Finland and Sweden decided to reconsider their long-standing policy of non-alignment following a major shift in public opinion amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. According to recent polls, majorities in both countries now support NATO membership.
The decision of the countries to apply for NATO membership has been condemned by Moscow. In the opinion of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the new development aggravates an already complicated international security situation.