Sweden, Finland have to comply with memorandum to be part of NATO: Turkiye
Baku, July 4, AZERTAC
Sweden and Finland have to comply with a recent memorandum signed with Turkiye to be part of NATO, the Turkish foreign minister said on Monday, according to Anadolu Agency.
"If they do not comply, we will not accept them into NATO," Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a live interview with Turkish broadcaster NTV.
He stressed the importance of the deal, saying: “For the first time, the YPG/PYD were added to a NATO document.”
When asked about how binding the memorandum is, Cavusoglu said: “First of all, they are committed to full cooperation with Turkiye in the fight against the PKK and its extensions.
“There is also a commitment to lift the defense industry embargo and restrictions, and to increase cooperation.”
He also pointed out the two Nordic countries’ commitment to fight terrorism and update their defense industry legislation.
“If these countries do not keep their word, we will take our steps accordingly,” he said.
Sweden and Finland shunned neutrality and applied to join NATO in May, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine.
But Turkiye, a longstanding member of the alliance, voiced objections to their membership bids, criticizing the countries for tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups.
Ahead of the NATO summit last week, Turkiye, Sweden, and Finland signed the memorandum after four-way talks including NATO in Madrid.
The agreement allows the two Nordic countries to become NATO members but conditions them to take steps on Turkiye's terrorism concerns and lift an arms embargo on Ankara.
Following the trilateral deal, NATO formally invited Sweden and Finland to join the 30-member military alliance.
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