Sweden and Finland sign NATO membership application… Submit together tomorrow (Comprehensive)

Opposition to Turkey: “It can be resolved through discussion… I am optimistic”

Helsinki (EPA = Yonhap News) Finnish Foreign Minister Peka Havisto signs an application for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Helsinki, Finland, on the 17th (local time). 2022.5.17 [email protected] [EPA/KIMMO BRANDT. 재판매 및 DB 금지]

(BRUSSELS = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Jong-un = Sweden and Finland signed an official application for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on the 17th (local time).

According to AP and AFP news outlets, Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Linde signed an official application for NATO membership in Stockholm on the same day.

“I think we’ve made the best decision for Sweden,” Linde said.

archyde news

Finland’s Foreign Minister Peka Havisto also officially signed the application for NATO membership on the same day following Parliament approved the government’s decision to join NATO.

The signing of the application by the Swedish and Finnish governments came a day and two following the two countries announced that they would apply for NATO membership, respectively.

Finland’s parliament approved the government’s decision to join NATO with an overwhelming majority of 188 votes out of a total of 200 seats on the same day following debates regarding joining NATO.

The two countries announced that they would submit applications for NATO membership together on the 18th.

Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a joint press conference held with Finnish President Sauli Ninistö on an official visit to the country that day.

Sweden and Finland have maintained a neutral stance following a long-standing policy of military non-alignment, and have maintained cooperative relations with NATO without joining NATO.

However, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, public opinion in both countries appeared to have changed in a more favorable direction for NATO membership, sparking a debate over NATO membership, which ultimately led to the decision to apply for NATO membership.

STOCKHOLM (AFP = Yonhap News) Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Linde signs her country’s application for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Stockholm, Sweden, on February 17, 2010. 2022.5.17 [email protected] [Henrik MONTGOMERY / TT News Agency / AFP. 재판매 및 DB 금지]

Russia is strongly opposed to Sweden and Finland’s move to join NATO.

But for now, Turkey’s opposition is cited as a major obstacle.

For two countries to join NATO, approval from the 30 NATO member states and their parliaments is required.

The majority of NATO member countries welcome the two countries’ membership.

However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said repeatedly that “they will not say that they are in favor of joining NATO” and that “they are not taking a clear position on the terrorist organization.”

The ‘terrorist organization’ mentioned by President Erdogan refers to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

The PKK is an armed organization that insists on segregation and independence of the Kurds living in southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syria. The Turkish government views the PKK as the biggest security threat.

However, Sweden and Finland have shown friendly attitudes towards the Kurds, and in particular, there are six Kurdish members of parliament in the Swedish parliament.

In relation to Turkey’s negative stance, President Ninistö said on the same day that “the situation might be resolved through constructive discussions” and he was optimistic that Finland and Sweden might secure Turkey’s support.

Sweden and Finland have already sent delegations to Turkey to meet Turkish officials.

Prime Minister Andersson and President Ninistö will meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on the 19th to discuss the two countries’ membership in NATO.

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