Turkey has drawn up a list of requirements that must be met before it can begin negotiations on Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO, the New York Times reports.
Turkey blocked NATO’s decision to process Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO applications on Wednesday with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan blames the two Nordic countries "protection of terrorists". Erdoğan said his country was particularly concerned about links with the militant political group Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The list of claims refers to the members of the PKK and the Syrian branch of the YPG, which Turkey has classified as terrorist organizations, citing their alleged protection in Finland and Sweden.
In addition, the list includes concessions that Turkey is seeking from the United States on the F-16 fighter agreement that Turkey has been trying to achieve for months.
In a speech to MPs on Wednesday, Erdoğan criticized Western support for Kurdish groups, and analysts said the Turkish president is now raising his demands because he believes Turkey has the leverage to make concessions.
Foreign policy experts also predict that after receiving some or all of the concessions, Turkey will give up in time for Sweden and Finland to move forward with membership aspirations.
The application for membership of either Finland or Sweden requires the ratification of all 30 member states. Turkey has been a member of NATO since 1952.
Source: The Nordic Page