Ankara’s security concerns to be addressed as part of memorandum for Nordic nations’ NATO bids: Swedish premier

By Atila Altuntas

STOCKHOLM (AA) - Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told the media Friday that Ankara’s security concerns will be addressed as part of a tripartite memorandum between Finland, Sweden and Türkiye for NATO membership of the Nordic nations.

Kristersson underlined that Türkiye's security concerns will be addressed as part of the memorandum between Finland, Sweden and Türkiye for NATO membership of the Nordic nations.

“To be honest, this is not a triple memorandum, rather it is an agreement that Finland and Sweden promised Türkiye on security,” Kristersson told the Dagens Nyheter newspaper, adding it would fulfill the commitments.

He noted that Sweden is in contact with Türkiye about the law, citing his country's new anti-terror law that is expected to take effect next spring.

“This is the fact that Sweden is involved in the fight against terrorism together with NATO,” he added.

- Nordic countries' NATO bid

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO in May, abandoning decades of military non-alignment, a decision spurred by Russia's war against Ukraine.

But Türkiye voiced objections to their membership bids, accusing the two countries of tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups.

Stockholm and Helsinki struck a deal with Ankara in June, which requires them not to provide support to the PKK terror group and its offshoots, or the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) -- the group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye. Ankara has also called for the extradition of terror suspects.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women children and infants. The YPG is its Syrian offshoot.

Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have warned that Türkiye will not give the nod to Sweden’s and Finland’s memberships until the memorandum is implemented.

Unanimous consent of all 30 existing allied countries is required for a country to join NATO.