Firmly Warns Finland And Sweden Regarding NATO Membership, Turkish Foreign Minister: These Two Countries Must Fulfill Their Promises

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. (Twitter/@MevlutCavusoglu)

JAKARTA - Sweden and Finland must not allow anti-Turkish propaganda to be realized in their countries, Foreign Minister Mevlüt cavuşoğlu said on Wednesday, underlining that Ankara has not seen the necessary steps for accession to membership of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

“The two countries must fulfill the promises and the articles in the memorandum of understanding. So far, we haven't seen any move," Cavuşoğlu said during a live interview with TV100, pointing out that Turkey has veto power.

Saying that all NATO member states must now agree to the accession of Sweden and Finland, Cavuşoğlu explained that the protocol is currently with the foreign ministry.

“If the obligation is fulfilled, it will be sent to the president and he will send it to the DPR. Of course, Parliament will decide, but it can't be sent now."

Turkey, Sweden, and Finland pledged to tackle terrorism, after Ankara previously voiced objections to countries joining NATO for their support of terrorist organizations.

Spurred on by Russia's war in Ukraine, the two countries signed up to join NATO in May, stripping them of their traditional neutrality.

The trilateral agreement signed between the countries in June stipulates that Finland and Sweden will not provide support to the YPG, the PKK's Syrian branch, or to FETÖ, the group behind the defeated 2016 coup in Turkey. And, that Ankara gives its full support to Finland and Sweden against threats to their national security.

Within the scope of the deal, Turkey also demands that the two countries extradite wanted individuals and lift arms restrictions imposed after Turkey's 2019 military offensive into northeastern Syria.

However, Cavuşoğlu said Sweden had not extradited the suspect on terrorism-related charges. Meanwhile, Turkey has sought the extradition of 73 people from Sweden and a dozen others from Finland.