Erdogan says Turkey constructive on Finland’s NATO bid, not Sweden’s

ANKARA, Feb 1 (Reuters) – Turkey seems to be positively on Finland’s utility for NATO membership, however doesn’t assist Sweden’s bid, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan mentioned on Wednesday.

“Our place on Finland is constructive, however it isn’t constructive on Sweden,” Erdogan mentioned of their NATO functions in a speech to his AK Get together deputies in parliament.

Sweden and Finland utilized final yr to affix the trans-Atlantic defence pact after Russia invaded Ukraine, however confronted surprising objections from Turkey and have since sought to win its assist.

Ankara needs Helsinki and Stockholm specifically to take a harder line towards the Kurdistan Employees’ Get together (PKK), which is taken into account a terror group by Turkey and the European Union, and one other group it blames for a 2016 coup try.

The three nations reached an settlement on a manner ahead in Madrid final June, however Ankara suspended talks final month as tensions rose following protests in Stockholm wherein a far-right Danish politician burned a replica of the Muslim holy e-book, the Koran.

“Sweden shouldn’t hassle to attempt at this level. We won’t say ‘sure’ to their NATO utility so long as they permit burning of the Koran,” Erdogan mentioned.

Sweden’s International Minister mentioned there might be no compromise over freedom of speech, however that Sweden would proceed to implement the Madrid settlement.

“It is extremely clear what is important for Sweden to turn into a member of NATO and that’s that we meet the necessities that are current within the trilateral settlement,” he advised nationwide information company TT.

“Faith shouldn’t be a part of the settlement.”

On the weekend, Erdogan signalled that Ankara may comply with Finland becoming a member of NATO forward of Sweden. However Finland’s International Minister Pekka Haavisto mentioned on Monday his nation was sticking to its plan to use collectively with Sweden.

Of NATO’s 30 members, solely Turkey and Hungary are but to ratify the Nordic international locations’ memberships.

Requested whether or not Turkey had plans for separate processes for Finland and Sweden, Turkish International Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu mentioned it was NATO and the 2 Nordic international locations who would determine on any separate ratifications.

“If NATO and the 2 international locations determine for separate membership processes, Turkey will in fact rethink Finland’s membership individually and extra favourably,” Cavusoglu mentioned at a information convention together with his Estonian counterpart in Tallinn.

Finland on Wednesday repeated its place that it’s going to transfer in line with its Nordic neighbour.

“Finland continues to advance the membership course of along with Sweden,” the joint presidential and authorities committee on Finnish safety and international coverage mentioned in a press release.

“The quickest doable realisation of each international locations memberships is in the very best curiosity of Finland, Sweden and the entire NATO,” it added.

Reporting by Nevzat Devranoglu and Ezgi Erkoyun; further reporting by Essi Lehto in Helsinki and Simon Johnson in Stockholm;
Writing by Huseyin Hayatsever; Enhancing by Daren Butler, Jonathan Spicer, Ben Dangerfield and Bernadette Baum

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.