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Finland, Sweden vow Turkiye not to support PKK/YPG terrorist organizations

30 June 2022 [15:11] - TODAY.AZ

By Azernews

By News Center

Finland and Sweden vow to Turkiye that they would not support the PKK/YPG terrorist organizations, following an agreement reached between the sides at NATO's Madrid meeting on June 28, Yeni Shafak reports.

As a result of the four-way summit, attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, the countries signed a tripartite memorandum at the IFEMA Congress Center in Madrid, where the NATO Summit was held on June 28-30.

After a two-stage meeting convened by NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg, the following conclusions were reached.

Since NATO is predicated on the notions of collective defense and security indivisibility, as well as shared values, Turkey, Finland, and Sweden reaffirmed their commitment to the principles and values inherent in the Washington Treaty (1949).

It was recalled that one of the Alliance's defining characteristics is unflinching solidarity and cooperation in the fight against terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations, which poses a direct danger to allies' national security as well as worldwide peace and security.

“As prospective NATO Allies, Finland and Sweden extend their full support to Turkiye against threats to its national security. To that effect, Finland and Sweden will not provide support to YPG/PYD, and the organization Turkiye calls FETO. Turkiye also extends its full support to Finland and Sweden against threats to their national security. Finland and Sweden reject and condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, in the strongest terms. Finland and Sweden unambiguously condemn all terrorist organizations perpetrating attacks against Turkiye, and express their deepest solidarity with Turkiye and the families of the victims,” the memorandum stresses.

According to the document, Finland and Sweden agree that the PKK is a terrorist organization and pledge to prevent PKK and other terrorist organizations, as well as their extensions, from carrying out terrorist acts, as well as acts carried out by individuals related to these terrorist organizations. Turkey, Finland, and Sweden have agreed to increase their efforts to oppose and condemn the operations of these terrorist organizations.

Furthermore, Finland made some amendments to its Criminal Code "by which new acts have been enacted as punishable terrorist crimes". The most recent amendments went into effect on January 1, 2022, broadening the extent of involvement in terrorist organization operations. At the same time, the public exhortation to commit terrorist acts became a distinct crime. Sweden, on the other hand, confirmed that a new, stricter Terrorist Offenses Act will go into effect on July 1 and that the government is developing additional counter-terrorism legislation.

The sides all agree that there are no longer any national arms embargoes between them. In regard to NATO Allies, Sweden is altering its national regulatory framework for arms transfers. Finland and Sweden will continue to sell defense equipment in line with Alliance solidarity under Article 3 of the Washington Treaty.

It added that Turkiye, Finland, and Sweden agree to develop a collaborative, structured conversation and cooperation mechanism at all levels of government, including law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to improve collaboration on counter-terrorism, organized crime, and other similar concerns

Moreover, Finland and Sweden vowed to fight terrorism with zeal and resolve, in conformity with applicable NATO treaties and policies, and will make every effort to enhance domestic legislation.

The Nordic nations promised to react to Turkiye's pending deportation or extradition requests for terror suspects in a prompt and thorough way, taking into consideration Turkiye's information, evidence, and intelligence, and will establish necessary bilateral legal frameworks to facilitate extradition and security cooperation with Turkiye, in line with the European Convention on Extradition.

As stated in paragraph 5, Finland and Sweden will investigate and prosecute any finance and recruiting operations of the PKK and all other terrorist organizations and their extensions. The parties resolve to combat misinformation and prevent their domestic laws from being exploited to profit or promote terrorist organizations, particularly via acts inciting violence against Turkiye.

According to the agreement, Finland and Sweden will guarantee that their separate national legal frameworks for weapons transfers allow for increased obligations to Allies while also reflecting their NATO membership status. They also agree to support Turkiye in its maximum possible engagement in the European Union's Common Security and Defense Policy initiatives, including its participation in the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Project on Military Mobility.

To carry out these activities, Turkiye, Finland, and Sweden will form a Permanent Joint Mechanism, with specialists from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Justice, as well as Intelligence Services and Security Institutions. Others will have the opportunity to join the mechanism.

Turkiye, for its part, restated its long-standing support for NATO's Open Door policy and pledged to back Finland and Sweden's application to join the Alliance at the 2022 Madrid Summit.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/regions/222389.html

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