Stoltenberg: Settlement of dispute between Turkey, Finland and Sweden “soon” | News
NATO Secretary General could not offer a concrete timetable, while the US Senate is preparing to add Finland and Sweden joining NATO to its agenda.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg NATO resumed further negotiations with Turkey on Finland and Sweden joining the alliance at a press conference on Thursday.
The press conference followed a meeting of NATO defense ministers on Wednesday, in which Finland’s defense minister attended. Antti Kaikkonen (Center).
Stoltenberg reiterated his earlier statements on the issue, saying that the concerns raised by Turkey must be taken seriously, as it is a large member state and an important ally.
In a speech to the press, he said that his goal was to find a solution to Turkey’s concerns as soon as possible. Stoltenberg also used the term “soon” when asked when a solution would be found, as he could not offer a clear timetable.
At the same time, however, he reminded that there are 30 members of NATO who do not always agree on everything. Resolving disagreements and reaching consensus is common for the defense alliance, he said.
Director of the Turkish Foreign Policy Institute in Helsinki
Also on Thursday, Hüseyin Bağcıdirector of the Turkish Foreign Policy Institute, told the President of Finland Sauli Niinistö at an event in Helsinki that Finland would not receive NATO approval from Turkey at or before the Madrid Summit at the end of June.
Bağcı made it clear to Yle that Turkey would not stop Finland’s NATO application, but rather delay it.
“I told the President of Finland that no green light for Finland’s NATO membership is expected from Turkey [at the Nato summit at the end of June] in Madrid. In the long run, Sweden and Finland will join NATO. “Turkey can and will not prevent that,” Bağcı explained.
Bağcı added that the situation with Finland is easier than that with Sweden for Turkey because Finland’s relations with the organizations that Turkey claims to be terrorist organizations are more distant than Sweden’s. The Turkish people are also sympathetic to Finland’s security problems as a neighbor of Russia.
NATO membership on the agenda of the US Senate Committee next week
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold hearings on Finland’s and Sweden’s possible NATO membership next Wednesday.
As part of NATO’s parliamentary process – in which each member state’s legislature approves an applicant’s entry into the alliance – the US Senate must vote to approve Finland’s and Sweden’s accession.
Bob MenendezThe Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee said a month ago that the United States is already working to ensure that Finland’s and Sweden’s transition to NATO runs smoothly.
At the time, both Menendez and the Republican senator Jim RischRanking Member of the See expressed its support for Finland’s acceptance as a member of NATO.
US House President: Turkey will not get the F-35
Change from the Senate to the House, Adam SmithChairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said that Turkey will not be released back into the F-35 program as part of negotiations to bring Finland and Sweden into NATO, according to the security release Breaking Defense. (siirryt toiseen palveluun)
According to Smith, President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğanmay completely reject the membership of Finland and Sweden if he finds the conditions for their admission unfavorable to Turkey.
The committee, chaired by Democratic Representative Smith, is responsible for the Department of Defense’s affairs and military funding and oversight.
According to the country’s own statement, Turkey is stopping Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership because the countries are home to terrorists, which has been denied by both Nordic nations. Turkey also wants the arms embargoes imposed by both countries lifted.
The real reason behind Turkey’s roadblock is believed to be that Ankara is using Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO applications as leverage to get back into the F-35 program, according to Breaking Defense.
Turkey was to buy up to a hundred F-35 multifunction fighter jets, but the United States closed its doors three years ago when Turkey bought the S-400 missile defense system from Russia.
According to Smith, excluding Turkey from the combat program was not a punishment for acquiring a Russian weapons system.
“It’s about not having the S-400 in the same place as the F-35 and the potential loss of critical information there to the Russians about it,” Smith added.
However, Smith offered what he saw as a possible solution to the dispute.
“I think the way it ends is basically to get some kind of weapon for them. It will probably not be F-35 … And I do not know what Europe does or does not sell Turkey. I think I see “That’s probably how it ends,” Washington State Congressman told Breaking Defense.