Sweden, Finland NATO bid can't progress unless concerns adressed: Turkey
Turkey's Presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın said that Turkey expects "correct implementation" of the 1999 NATO summit principles and procedures related to the membership process and its security concerns to be addressed.
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- Agencies and A News
- Published Date: 07:59 | 25 May 2022
- Modified Date: 09:09 | 25 May 2022
Turkey has clearly said that Sweden and Finland's NATO bid cannot progress unless Ankara's security concerns were met with "concrete steps" in a certain timeframe, Turkey's Presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın said on Wednesday.
"NATO members' security concerns should be addressed in a just manner," he stressed.
Kalın said that Turkey expects "correct implementation" of the 1999 NATO summit principles and procedures related to the membership process.
"They told us they understand Turkey's security concerns, but we'll see what steps they will take," Kalın said, adding that dialogue would continue.
He added that Turkey told Sweden and Finland that PKK, YPG, and PYD are all same terror groups and conveyed expectations regarding the issue during the meeting with the countries' officials in Ankara.
Kalın also said that Turkey observed a positive approach by Finland and Sweden in the talks about lifting the sanctions on arms and defense industry products on Turkey that the two countries had imposed on it.
It is unacceptable that NATO allies impose sanctions on each other," he said.
"We have seen a positive attitude towards lifting of embargo regarding defense industry products during this meeting, this is a pleasing development," Ibrahim Kalın said.
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