Top Turkish, Swedish, and Finnish diplomats meet amid Nordic countries' bid to join NATO

Politics 11:20 30.11.2022

Seeking Türkiye’s greenlight to join NATO, Sweden and Finland’s foreign ministers on Tuesday met their Turkish counterpart on the sidelines of a meeting of the alliance in the Romanian capital Bucharest, Ednews reports citing Yeni Safak.

During the meeting, the trio "reviewed steps taken in line with the Trilateral Memorandum and stressed (Türkiye’s) expectations," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter, referring to a pact signed this June under which the Nordic countries work to address Türkiye’s security concerns.

Sweden's Tobias Billstrom and Finland's Pekka Haavisto met with Cavusoglu on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Bucharest.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO in May, abandoning decades of military non-alignment, a decision spurred by Russia's war against Ukraine.

But Türkiye – a NATO member for over 70 years – voiced objections to their membership bids, accusing the two countries of tolerating and even supporting terror groups.

Türkiye and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum in June at the NATO summit in Madrid to address Ankara's legitimate security concerns, paving the way for their eventual membership in the alliance.

Under the memorandum, Finland and Sweden extend their full support to Türkiye countering threats to its national security. To that effect, Helsinki and Stockholm are not to provide support to the terror group YPG/PYD or to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated 2016 coup in Türkiye.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.

Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have warned that Türkiye will not give the nod to the membership of Sweden and Finland until the memorandum is implemented.

Unanimous consent of all 30 existing allied countries is required for a country to join NATO.

 

Azerbaijan Defense Minister informs NATO chief on situation in Azerbaijan-Armenia conditional border -VIDEO

News line

Pakistan restricts foreign travels of ministers, government officials
Pakistan restricts foreign travels of ministers, government officials
20:39 18.03.2024
EU to boost military support fund for Ukraine by EUR 5 bln — Hungarian foreign minister
20:00 18.03.2024
Industrial zones to be created in Azerbaijan’s Zangilan, Jabrayil, and Gubadli
19:16 18.03.2024
Reuters: Only an oil slump can stop Russia
19:00 18.03.2024
Top Hamas operative killed in hospital raid, IDF says
Top Hamas operative killed in hospital raid, IDF says
18:33 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev congratulates people of Azerbaijan on occasion of Novruz holiday - UPDATED
18:00 18.03.2024
Jens Stoltenberg: We fully support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity
Jens Stoltenberg: We fully support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity
17:47 18.03.2024
2 dead, 6 injured in Türkiye factory explosion
2 dead, 6 injured in Türkiye factory explosion
17:28 18.03.2024
Armenia’s anti-Russian policy reaches new level
17:11 18.03.2024
"The Middle Corridor plays a key role for Green Energy" - Expert Ali Pasha
16:45 18.03.2024
Central square of Khankandi named “Victory Square”
16:22 18.03.2024
President: We demonstrated tremendous heroism during the II Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation
16:16 18.03.2024
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus visited IEPF - PHOTOS - VIDEO
16:00 18.03.2024
Historic opportunity emerged to advance the Azerbaijani-Armenian peace agenda - FM Bayramov
15:21 18.03.2024
Bayramov and Stoltenberg discuss normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia
15:03 18.03.2024
Azerbaijan Defense Minister informs NATO chief on situation in Azerbaijan-Armenia conditional border -VIDEO
14:58 18.03.2024
Stoltenberg's visit to the Caucasus: "NATO is in panic" - OPİNİON
14:29 18.03.2024
Hikmat Hajiyev holds discussions for upcoming COP29 with Chinese Vice FM
Hikmat Hajiyev holds discussions for upcoming COP29 with Chinese Vice FM
14:00 18.03.2024
Stoltenberg concludes his official visit to Azerbaijan
13:42 18.03.2024
Geomagnetic storm expected on March 20
13:33 18.03.2024
Mbappe celebrates his 250th goal in PSG
Mbappe celebrates his 250th goal in PSG
13:19 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev makes a phone call to Vladimir Putin
13:00 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev lit Novruz bonfire in Khankandi and congratulated Azerbaijani people
12:34 18.03.2024
Foreign students attacked in India over Ramadan prayers
12:30 18.03.2024
Spring comes to Northern Hemisphere
Spring comes to Northern Hemisphere
12:17 18.03.2024
Why does Azerbaijan matter to the European Union? - OPINION
12:00 18.03.2024
Number of human remains found in mass grave in Khojaly reaches 19
11:45 18.03.2024
Hikmat Hajiyev meets Pakistani envoy to China
Hikmat Hajiyev meets Pakistani envoy to China
11:33 18.03.2024
EU Council to discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization
11:23 18.03.2024
Global Terrorism Index: Azerbaijan among countries with highest anti-terror rating worldwide
10:56 18.03.2024
Oil prices keep rising
Oil prices keep rising
10:40 18.03.2024
Stoltenberg: NATO looking forward to further strengthening partnership with Azerbaijan
10:23 18.03.2024
Azerbaijani police found numerous weapons and ammunition in Khankandi
10:10 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev: There is a good chance for settlement of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations
09:57 18.03.2024
Putin warns about possible war between Russia and NATO
09:40 18.03.2024
Hikmat Hajiyev meets with Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment of China
09:23 18.03.2024
Azerbaijan relocates 123 more residents to Fuzuli city
08:53 18.03.2024
President Ilham Aliyev held expanded meeting over dinner with Jens Stoltenberg
23:07 17.03.2024
Putin wins the presidential elections for fifth term, exit poll shows
22:43 17.03.2024
COP29 will be turning point, says NATO Secretary-General
21:54 17.03.2024
Hamısı