Turkey resumes Finland and Sweden NATO accession talks
Flags of Sweden, Finland and NATO (Photo:REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
Turkey has resumed its participation in talks with Finland and Sweden on ratifying their NATO membership – on some conditions – NATO press service announced on March 9. The negotiations were held at NATO HQ in Brussels.
This was the third round of talks that sought to resolve Ankara’s concerns about what it perceives as Sweden and Finland supporting Turkey’s Kurdish opposition.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that both Finland and Sweden have taken “unprecedented steps” to accommodate Turkey’s demands, adding that he hopes both countries could become full members of the alliance in the coming months.
Some of the results of the meeting include removing restriction on arms trade between the three countries, and Sweden’s pledge to enact new laws related to countering terrorism.
“The parties agreed that the decision to invite Finland and Sweden to become NATO members was historic,” the press release reads.
“They further agreed that rapid ratifications for both Finland and Sweden would be in everyone’s interest, and that their membership will strengthen the alliance.”
On Feb. 17, Stoltenberg said “the time has come” for Turkey and Hungary to finally ratify Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO.
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