NATO’s Stoltenberg says Turkey’s security concerns are legitimate

Sweden and Finland utilized to hitch NATO, however have confronted opposition from Turkey, which accuses them of supporting ‘terrorists’.

NATO Secretary-Common Jens Stoltenberg, left, and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, proper, are pictured throughout talks on June 12, 2022 [Markku Ulander/Lehtikuva/ AFP]

Safety issues raised by Turkey in its opposition to Finland and Sweden becoming a member of NATO are reliable, NATO Secretary-Common Jens Stoltenberg mentioned throughout a go to to Finland.

Sweden and Finland utilized to hitch the Western navy alliance final month, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

However they've confronted opposition from Turkey, which has accused them of supporting and harbouring Kurdish militants and different teams that Ankara deems “terrorists”.

“These are reliable issues. That is about terrorism, it’s about weapons exports,” Stoltenberg instructed a joint information convention on Sunday with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Naantali, Finland.

Stoltenberg mentioned Turkey was a key NATO ally as a consequence of its strategic location on the Black Sea between Europe and the Center East, and he cited the assist Ankara has offered to Ukraine since Russia invaded on February 24.

“We now have to recollect and perceive that no NATO ally has suffered extra terrorist assaults than Turkiye,” Stoltenberg mentioned, utilizing the Turkish phrase for the nation’s title, as most popular by Turkey and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Stoltenberg and Niinisto mentioned talks with Turkey would proceed, however gave no indication of progress within the negotiations.

He additionally mentioned that a NATO assembly in Madrid on the finish of June was “by no means a deadline” for Finland and Sweden to be accepted as members of the navy alliance.

After a long time of navy non-alignment, Russia’s battle in Ukraine has pushed Finland and Sweden to use to hitch NATO.

Erdogan, nevertheless, accuses the Nordic nations of supporting Kurdish militants deemed by Turkey to be “terrorists” and has vetoed their entry into the 30-member alliance.

Calls for from Ankara to Helsinki and Stockholm embrace lifting restrictions on arms exports to Turkey and extraditing members of sure Kurdish organisations which might be against Erdogan’s authorities.

Previously weeks, the NATO chief has been working to resolve the dispute.

Stoltenberg will go to Sweden on Monday for talks with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.