(di Giuseppe Paccione) Finally a solution has been found to the age-old question concerning the entry of Finland e Sweden in NATO, after Turkey vetoed their entry into the Atlantic Alliance. After hard diplomatic work between the three countries, which lasted a few weeks, before the high-level meeting of the Atlantic Council in Madrid, the three governments under the watchful eye of the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Organization have signed a Trilateral Memorandum consisting of 10 paragraphs.
At that meeting, leaders agreed on a trilateral memorandum to address Türkiye's legitimate security concerns, paving the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO. The memorandum was signed by the foreign ministers of the three countries - Mevlüt Cavusoglu from Turkey, Pekka Haavisto from Finland and Ann Linde from Sweden - in the presence of all three national leaders, and the Secretary General.
Turkey got what it wanted from talks with Sweden and Finland by agreeing on full cooperation in the fight against the PKK terrorist group and its affiliates.
Furthermore, Sweden and Finland have also decided not to support the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist organization, the YPG, nor the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
As potential NATO allies, Finland and Sweden extend their full support to Turkey against threats to its national security, the trilateral memorandum reads. To this end, Finland and Sweden will not provide support to the YPG / PYD and the organization described as FETÖ in Turkey. Finland and Sweden reject and condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in the strongest terms, underlining that Finland and Sweden condemn all terrorist organizations that perpetrate attacks against Turkey and express their deepest solidarity with Ankara. In addition, Finland and Sweden are committed to preventing the activities of the PKK and all other terrorist organizations and their extensions, as well as the activities of individuals in affiliated and inspired groups or networks connected to these terrorist organizations, the memorandum states, adding that the two Scandinavian countries will promptly address Turkey's pending deportation or extradition requests of suspected terrorists. Obviously, the trilateral memorandum does not list persons for extradition, but rather describes the principles for extradition linked to terrorism, not individual citizens.
The Turkish presidency also obtained the assurance that the Finnish and Swedish countries have also agreed to lift the embargo on arms deliveries to Turkey, imposed in response to the 2019 Ankara operation in Syria. The two countries will ban fundraising and recruiting activities for the PKK and prevent terrorist propaganda against Turkey.
The full text in English of the Trilateral Memorandum which opens the doors to Finland and Sweden to become members of the Atlantic Alliance.