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Updated June 26th, 2022 at 11:33 IST

Erdogan: Turkey's concerns over Finland, Sweden's NATO bids 'not eased' despite warnings

Erdogan, in a call with the NATO chief, asserted that concerns over Finland and Sweden flagged by Ankara have not been addressed with a substantial response.

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
Erdogan
IMAGE: AP/ Erdogan/SanaMarin/MagdalenaAndersson/Instagram | Image:self
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said that security concerns flagged by Ankara over Finland and Sweden's NATO bid have not been addressed with substantial response despite repeated warnings. In a phone call with General Secretary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Jens Stoltenberg, Erdogan underscored that both the Nordic countries must undertake "tangible steps" to assure members of the 30-nation bloc that they are not harbouring outlawed Kurdish militants - a claim that both Finland and Sweden denies.

According to an official statement,  the Turkish President also stressed that military and industrial sanctions on Turkey must be revoked with a guarantee that they will not be imposed after Finland and Sweden's potential ascension to the international military bloc. Earlier this month, in a similar telephone conversation with Stoltenberg, Erdoga had emphasised that Ankara's demands were based on "just and legitimate" grounds. He told the NATO chief that both Finland and Sweden must "clearly display" their separation from "terrorism" and extended solidarity by lifting the ban on military weapons sales slapped on Turkey.

NATO Summit 'not a deadline' for talks: Turkey

Erdogan's warnings come as members of NATO are set to join the Madrid summit on June 29. Stoltenberg last Monday said the convention was a "historic" opportunity to strengthen the alliance, adding that the union will "chart its way ahead for the next decade."

On June 23, the NATO chief met with Czech Republic PM Petr Fiala at NATO headquarters to discuss preparations for the meeting. Earlier, during a visit to Paris, Stoltenberg also deliberated with French President Emmanuel Macron. He acknowledged France's role in nuclear deterrence and thanked Macron for leading by example in defence spending, the fight against terrorism and deepening cooperation with NATO and European Union.

While Finland and Sweden's NATO membership is one of the top priority topics to be discussed at the Madrid Summit, Turkey last Monday warned that the upcoming meeting "is not the deadline" on Ankara's concerns. Meanwhile, Ankara is walking on a tightrope to keep up diplomatic relations with the West as well as Russia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavusoglu has expressed Turkey's readiness "to host a 4-partite" meeting between UN, Russia, and Ukraine to facilitate grain exports amid Moscow's blockade of Black Sea ports in Ukraine.

It is pertinent to mention that Finland and Sweden early May gave up their decades-long neutrality to submit a formal application for joining NATO. The state heads of both Nordic countries cited potential national security concerns, given the tumultuous war situation in East Europe, as a reason for their ascension to the bloc. In response, both Russia (a former member of the bloc) and Turkey voiced their opposition to Finland and Sweden's bid. While Moscow had warned of reinforcements along the national border, Turkey enlisted an array of security guarantees, including "termination of political support of terrorism," "elimination of the source of terrorism financing," and "cessation of arms support" to PKK and Syrian Kurdish offshoot.

(Image: AP)

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Published June 26th, 2022 at 11:33 IST

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