Finland’s president proposes a pause in the trilateral talks with Turkey regarding NATO’s bid with Sweden
Finland’s president demands a pause in trilateral talks with Turkey about its NATO application together with Sweden.
“Regarding NATO membership, we have to take it easy and we have to wait for the elections in Turkey to take place,” President Sauli Niinisto said. Turkey’s parliamentary elections do not take place until mid-June 2023.
It follows Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto hinting on Tuesday that Helsinki was considering joining the military alliance without Sweden.
Haavisto said the two Nordic countries joining NATO together was “absolutely the number one option,” but that “we have to be ready to evaluate the situation.”
He was later asked to clarify his comments at a hastily prepared press conference. Haavisto admitted he had been “imprecise” and added that Helsinki was only planning for every potential outcome that could develop in the bid process – including a solo success in its own NATO bid.
The stance also follows Turkey’s move to stop Sweden’s bid, in an angry reaction to an anti-Turkey protest that took place in Stockholm. The protest sparked outrage in Turkey after a Danish extremist burned a copy of the Koran outside the Turkish embassy in the Swedish capital.
The latest break raises doubts that the two Nordic nations will become NATO members together.
Sweden is calling for a return to the drawing board
In an attempt to cool down tensions with Ankara, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson says he wants to re-establish “dialogue” with Turkey.
“I want to call for calm in this process because I want to return to working talks on the issues where we agreed that we have made progress. Sweden and Finland and Turkey have a trilateral agreement and it is going well. It is clear that we do not think alike on all matters. We have different legislation in our countries, says Kristersson.
Kristersson continues: “I think, as someone said, I would have two thoughts in my head: we are fully committed to Swedish freedom of expression and we are very keen to complete NATO membership together with Finland.”
Both Sweden and Finland launched their bid to join NATO when Russia invaded Ukraine almost a year ago.
However, Turkey has refused to accept their bid until the two countries take steps, including joining Turkey’s fight against outlawed Kurdish militants.
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