In an exchange with young voters televised live on January 29, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan left open for the first time the possibility of the country accepting Finland, but not including Sweden, the family. join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Currently, Turkey and Hungary are the only two countries out of 30 members of this military alliance that have not yet agreed to the aspiration. join NATO of Sweden and Finland, the organization stipulates that the steps of admission of new members only take place with the absolute consent of the official members.
[Chính phủ Thụy Điển tạm dừng tiến trình xin gia nhập NATO]
However, the Hungarian parliament is expected to vote on the requirements of Stokholm and Helsinki next February.
Erdogan’s comments came just days after the Turkish government suspended talks with Sweden and Finland about joining NATO.
Ankara has repeatedly criticized Stokholm’s refusal extradition some Turkish citizen ethnic Kurds that Ankara says were involved in the failed coup in 2016.
In a televised dialogue on January 29, Erdogan said: “If necessary, we can give a different answer for Finland (about joining NATO). Sweden will be shocked when we give a different answer to Finland… If you (Sweden) really want to join NATO, you will give back the terrorist that’s for us”.
(VNA/Vietnam+)