Stoltenberg travels to the Anatolian country to force the Turkish government to remove Ankara’s current veto of the two Nordic countries
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday increased pressure on Turkey for the Anatolian country to lift the veto imposed since springagainst joining the transatlantic organization of Sweden Y Finland.
The two Nordic countries were formally invited to join NATO in June, at a summit held in Madrid. Their accession, however, cannot take place without all the parliaments of the member countries ratify. There are only two left: the one from Turkey and the one from Hungary.
“Sweden and Finland committed themselves to Turkey to follow some steps already increase their cooperation in matters of security. And they have delivered what they promised. The time has come welcome as full members of NATO. Their union will make us all stronger and safer,” Stoltenberg said Thursday in istanbulwhere he met with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlüt Çavusoglu. This Friday, the Norwegian will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“Finland and Sweden have approved new anti-terrorism lawsand have prohibited participation in terrorist organizations, including the PKK —the Kurdish-Turkish guerrilla at war against Turkey since the 1980s—. They have raised their arms sales restrictions that weighed against Turkey. Sweden and Finland have complied,” Stoltenberg said.
Turkey resists
For ankarahowever, the story is different. The Turkish government still maintains its veto: for Erdogan’s executive -which will meet with the new Swedish prime minister on Tuesday of next week, Ulf Kristersson— Sweden and Finland still have steps to take.
“In Madrid, when we signed our trilateral agreement, we all highlighted the importance of the memorandum and our commitments. But the most important thing is not what you commit to, but what you implement. Some steps have not been performed. Not all the points in the memorandum have been fully implemented,” Çavusoglu told Stoltenberg.
With this complaint, Turkey refers to the deportation to Turkey of Kurds living in Sweden whom Ankara considers to be members of the PKK. After signing the agreement with Sweden and Finland, the Turkish government sent a list to Stockholm Y Helsinki with names of people Ankara wanted deported.
Some deportation proceedings have been initiated; others are denied by Swedish justice. Despite everything, many experts believe that Turkey’s veto could be extended to presidential election of Turkey spring 2023.
grain deal
In their meeting, in addition, Çavusoglu and Stoltenberg have spoken about the continuation of the agreement for Ukrainian wheat and cereal, which Russia broke last Saturday but to which Moscow agreed to return this Wednesday thanks to the mediation from Turkey and United Nations.
“I want to thank Turkey and especially President Erdogan for the negotiation to allow safe passage through the Black Sea cargo ships with Ukrainian grain”, said the Secretary General of NATO before the Turkish minister.