Pekka Haavisto

Finland says time-out needed in talks with Turkey over NATO bid

Finland's foreign minister said on Tuesday a time-out of a few weeks was needed in Finland and Sweden's talks with Turkey on their application to join the NATO military alliance.

Turkey's president said on Monday that Sweden should not expect his country's support after a protest near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm at the weekend, which included the burning of a copy of the Koran.

Finland Seeks to Pause NATO Talks as Turkey Blocks Sweden

Finland's Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto in Bucharest, Romania, November 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/Robert Ghement

"A time-out is needed before we return to the three-way talks and see where we are when the dust has settled after the current situation, so no conclusions should be drawn yet," Haavisto told Reuters.

Talks to be held on Finland’s NATO bid

Finnish officials will arrive in Ankara on Oct. 25 to discuss their country's bid to join NATO, daily Milliyet has reported.

A delegation from Finland's Justice Ministry will meet Kasım Çiçek, the head of foreign relations at the Justice Ministry.

The talks will focus on the extradition of individuals Türkiye regards as terrorists.

Finland to host talks with Türkiye, Sweden over NATO bid

Finland will host a meeting with Sweden and Türkiye later this month, the Finnish foreign minister said on Aug. 19, after Ankara voiced its opposition to the Nordic countries' NATO bids.

"Representatives of Finland, Sweden and Türkiye will meet in Finland in August," Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters.

NATO: It started

The NATO ambassadors signed the protocol on the accession of Finland and Sweden, in the presence of the heads of diplomacy of the two countries, Pekka Haavisto and Anne Linda.

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