Turkey has not closed its door NATO in Finland and SwedenRecep Tayyip Erdogan’s advisor, Ibrahim Kalin, told Reuters today.
However, he added that Ankara wants negotiations with these two Nordic countries, as well as the suppression of “terrorist activities”, especially in Stockholm.
“We are not closing the door. “But we are basically raising this issue as a national security issue for Turkey,” said Kalin, who is the Turkish president’s top foreign policy adviser.
Erdogan surprised NATO members and the two Nordic countries seeking to join the alliance, saying yesterday, Friday, that the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO would be a “mistake” and that it is not possible for Turkey to support the enlargement of the Alliance, because these two countries are a refuge for “many terrorist organizations”.
Any country seeking to join the North Atlantic Alliance needs the unanimous support of all its members. The United States and other member states are trying to clarify Ankara’s position.
Kalin claimed that the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US and the EU) was raising funds and recruiting in Europe and that its presence was “strong and open and recognized”, especially in Sweden. .
“What needs to be done is clear: they need to stop allowing gas stations, activities, organizations, individuals and other PKK presence in these countries,” Kalin said.
“Joining NATO is always a process. We will see how things go. “But this is the first point at which we want to draw the attention of all allies as well as the Swedish authorities.” “Of course we want to have a discussion, a negotiation with Swedish counterparts.”
Turkey is urging NATO to “address the concerns of all members, not just some,” Kalin said.
Asked whether Turkey is considered to be over-indulging in wartime bargains, and while public opinion in Finland and Sweden supports NATO membership, Erdogan’s spokesman said: “One hundred percent of our population is very worried about the PKK’s presence. and FETO (Gulenists) in Europe “.
“If they (Finland and Sweden) have an audience that is concerned about their own national security, we also have an audience that is equally concerned about their own security,” he said. “We have to look at each other.”
Kalin stressed that Russia’s harsh criticism of Finland and Sweden’s plans did not affect Turkey in terms of its position.
Yesterday, however, Finnish Foreign Minister Peka Haavisto also announced his intention to “continue the discussion” with Turkish Minister Mevlüt ÇavuÅŸoλουlu.
“I think we need patience in these processes and this is not happening overnight … Let ‘s go step by step,” he said, noting that Finland has not yet officially announced its NATO bid.
The statement Erdogan Helsinki seems to have come as a surprise after Haavisto visited Turkey twice in recent months and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto spoke by telephone with Erdogan in early April.
Following the phone call, Niinisto wrote on Twitter: “Turkey supports Finland’s goals.”
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