In a memorandum, the two countries claim that the Kurdish PKK is “a terrorist organization” and undertake to “prevent [its] activities”. They also assure that they will treat “in a rapid and in -depth manner” extradition requests.
by, and
Everyone will be in the family photo. After several weeks of tensions, Turkey finally agreed to support Finland and Sweden’s request to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). “We now have an agreement which opens the way to membership” of the two Scandinavian countries, welcomed the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, Tuesday, June 28, after a meeting From four o’clock in Madrid between Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, and Finnish President, Sali Niinistö.
The three leaders “signed a memorandum that responds to the concerns of Turkey, in particular with regard to arms exports and the fight against terrorism,” assured the secretary general of NATO, while a Possible veto of Ankara threatened to pollute the summit of the Atlantic alliance, scheduled until Thursday in the Spanish capital. By agreeing to support the membership of Finland and Sweden, Turkey allows the thirty member countries of the most powerful military alliance on the planet to present a united front against Russia, which has become a direct threat since its invasion of the ‘Ukraine, February 24.
To obtain this agreement, the two Scandinavian countries had to make major concessions to Turkey, a member of NATO since 1952. In the memorandum signed by the three capitals, Finland and Sweden recognize that ” One of the key elements of the Alliance is unshakable solidarity and cooperation in the fight against terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations “. The two countries say above all that the Kurdistan workers’ party (PKK) is “a terrorist organization” and undertake to “prevent [its] activities” as well as those of “all other terrorist organizations and their extensions”, citing in particular The Kurdish Democratic Union Party in Syria (Pyd) and the Fethullah Gülen (Fetö) movement, considered by Ankara as the instigator of the coup of July 15, 2016.
Even more precise, Finland and Sweden affirm in the three pages of memorandum that they will deal with “in a rapid and in -depth manner” requests for extradition of Turkish nationality suspected of terrorism by Ankara, “taking into account Information, evidence and information provided by Turkey “. The two countries also agree to raise their embargo on the sale of certain weapons in Ankara, decreed in 2019 following the foray for the Turkish army in northern Syria. A recurring request from Mr. Erdogan.
You have 65.65% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.