Turkish concerns about Finnish and Swedish membership at the center of the talks

AA / Berlin

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Sunday that Turkey’s concerns about Finland and Sweden’s NATO membership are under discussion.

“There are discussions going on… The bottom line: When it comes to the accession process, I am very confident that we will come to a consensus,” Blinken said in response to a question about Ankara’s negative opinion regarding membership. Two Scandinavian apps.

Noting that he had discussed the issue with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during an informal NATO meeting in Berlin, Blinken stressed that the alliance is an institution that promotes dialogue among allies. “It’s an institution that you can discuss. It’s a space where you can discuss all the differences we might have,” he said.

Finland officially announced on Sunday its decision to join NATO, and Sweden is expected to do the same in the coming days.

Both countries must win the unanimous support of all 30 NATO member states to join the military alliance.

Turkey, a longtime NATO member, has voiced opposition to membership applications from Finland and Sweden, blaming the two northern countries for their tolerance and even support for terrorist groups such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party/YPG.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a press conference in Berlin, following the informal NATO meeting, that Finland and Sweden “should stop supporting terrorist groups” and give clear security guarantees for Ankara to become a member of NATO.

He stressed that NATO is a security alliance in which member states must show solidarity with each other.

During its more than 35-year terrorist campaign against Turkey, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, was responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people. The People’s Protection Units is the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

* Translated from the English by Mourad Belhadj

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