Finland, Sweden, Türkiye hold 1st mechanism-based talks over NATO bid
Aug 27, 2022
Helsinki [Finland], August 27: The three-country permanent joint mechanism between Türkiye, Finland, and Sweden convened for the first time in Vantaa in south Finland on Friday.
According to a release by Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the first gathering of the mechanism comprised experts from the ministries of foreign affairs, interior, justice and defense, the presidential and prime ministerial administrations, as well as intelligence services, of the three countries.
"The participants discussed the concrete steps to implement the Trilateral Memorandum and agreed that the mechanism will continue to meet at the expert level during the autumn," the press release stated.
In the Trilateral Memorandum signed in Madrid, Spain, in June 2022, Türkiye, Finland, and Sweden agreed to establish a permanent joint mechanism to follow up on the implementation of the memorandum and to enhance cooperation on common security.
The meeting marked the first civil servant-level consultation on implementing the tripartite document, reported by Finnish broadcaster Yle.
So far, 23 of NATO's 30 member states have ratified Finland and Sweden's membership applications, while Türkiye is the only member to have voiced significant opposition to the two Nordic nations joining the alliance, reported Yle, adding that Türkiye has set security-related conditions for its acceptance of the memberships of the two Nordics in NATO.
Finnish Foreign Minister PekkaHaavisto told Yle that Friday's talks took place "on the basis of the previous agenda."
Source: Xinhua
