Violating memorandum costs much for Sweden, Finland: Turkish official

With the signing of the memorandum, Turkey lifted an objection to the Nordic countries’ NATO bid

Not enforcing the memorandum costs much more than enforcing it, the chair of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, Akif Çağatay Kılıç, said Sunday in reference to the NATO deal signed between Turkey, Sweden and Finland.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Kılıç evaluated the memorandum signed by Ankara, Stockholm and Helsinki on the two Nordic countries' NATO membership processes.

Kılıç stated that by applying for NATO membership due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Sweden and Finland changed their policy of neutrality, which they had maintained up until today, adding that the final stage of the diplomatic process set in motion was the signing of the memorandum at the NATO summit in Madrid.

A written statement was agreed upon in this context and the foreign ministers of Turkey, Sweden and Finland signed this memorandum of understanding, Kılıç explained, highlighting that the agreement put the PKK back on the agenda as it was recorded in the memorandum as a terrorist organization.

Noting that they also agreed to fight the PKK terrorist organization and its subsidiaries, including its Syrian offshoot, the YPG, Kılıç said: "Most importantly, FETÖ (the Gülenist Terror Group) was mentioned for the first time as a 'terrorist organization' in an international document. FETÖ was included in an international memorandum of understanding as a terrorist organization in the sense Turkey considers."

Kılıç pointed out that the memorandum clearly revealed Turkey's reservations, wishes and determination in the fight against terrorism while delivering the message that NATO allies stand by the country against existential threats.

Emphasizing that the signing of the memorandum does not mean Sweden and Finland can immediately start their NATO membership process, Kılıç said: "The negotiation process will continue for a while and will eventually be brought to parliaments. We are talking about a process that must pass through the parliaments of all NATO ally countries. The memorandum is the beginning of this work."

Kılıç underlined that by signing the memorandum, written commitments have been made. "If you don't keep these commitments, I'm sorry, they won't say you're a man of your word, nor can we trust you in any so-called agreement that we come up with. Not enforcing the memorandum costs much more than enforcing it. Because trust will be lost, your words will have no meaning. There is a process that begins in this sense. We will monitor whether the warranties given in writing are fulfilled within the framework of the agreement set forth at this point."

The accord signed with Finland and Sweden to lift Turkey’s veto on their NATO membership bids is not the end of the matter and obliges the Nordic states to keep their promises, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was cited as saying on Friday.

Speaking to reporters on a flight back from the critical NATO summit in Madrid, Erdoğan said there was no need to rush ratifying the bids in Parliament. Ankara should first see if Sweden and Finland keep the promises made under the memorandum, including on extraditing suspects sought by Turkey, he said.

“This should be known: These signatures don’t mean the issue is done ... Without our Parliament’s approval, this does not go into effect. So there is no need to rush,” Erdoğan said.

With the signing of the memorandum, Turkey lifted an objection to the Nordic countries’ NATO bid. In return, Finland and Sweden will address Turkey’s terrorism concerns.

Also speaking at a news conference in Madrid at the end of the NATO summit on Thursday, Erdoğan gave similar messages to the international audience.