Türkiye signs memorandum allowing Sweden and Finland to join NATO

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who is in Madrid on the occasion of the NATO Summit, held a quadrilateral meeting with President Sauli Niinistö of Finland, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson of Sweden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The meeting was followed by the signing of a trilateral memorandum between Türkiye, Sweden and Finland on Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership process.

The full text of the memorandum signed between three countries is as follows:

1. Today the representatives of Türkiye, Finland and Sweden, under the auspices of the NATO Secretary General, have agreed the following.

2. NATO is an Alliance based on the principles of collective defence and the indivisibility of security, as well as on common values. Türkiye, Finland and Sweden affirm their adherence to the principles and values enshrined in the Washington Treaty.

3. One of the key elements of the Alliance is unwavering solidarity and cooperation in the fight against terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, which constitutes a direct threat to the national security of Allies as well as to international peace and security.

4. As prospective NATO Allies, Finland and Sweden extend their full support to Türkiye against threats to its national security. To that effect, Finland and Sweden will not provide support to YPG/PYD, and the organization described as FETÖ in Türkiye. Türkiye 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 Türkiye, and express their deepest solidarity with Türkiye and the families of the victims.

5. Finland and Sweden confirm that the PKK is a proscribed terrorist organization. Finland and Sweden commit to prevent activities of the PKK and all other terrorist organizations and their extensions, as well as activities by individuals in affiliated and inspired groups or networks linked to these terrorist organizations. Türkiye, Finland and Sweden have agreed to step up cooperation to prevent the activities of these terrorist groups. Finland and Sweden reject the goals of these terrorist organizations.

6. Further to this, Finland refers to several recent amendments of its Criminal Code by which new acts have been enacted as punishable terrorist crimes. The latest amendments entered into force on 1 January 2022, by which the scope of participation in the activity of a terrorist group has been widened. At the same time, public incitement related to terrorist offenses was criminalized as a separate offense. Sweden confirms that a new, tougher, Terrorist Offenses Act enters into force on 1 July, and that the government is preparing further tightening of counter-terrorism legislation.

7. Türkiye, Finland and Sweden confirm that now there are no national arms embargoes in place between them. Sweden is changing its national regulatory framework for arms exports in relation to NATO Allies. In future, defense exports from Finland and Sweden will be conducted in line with Alliance solidarity and in accordance with the letter and spirit of article 3 of the Washington Treaty.

8. Today, Türkiye, Finland and Sweden commit to the following concrete steps:

Establish a joint, structured dialogue and cooperation mechanism at all levels of government, including between law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to enhance cooperation on counter-terrorism, organized crime, and other common challenges as they so decide.

Finland and Sweden will conduct the fight against terrorism with determination, resolve, and in accordance with the provisions of the relevant NATO documents and policies, and will take all required steps to tighten further domestic legislation to this end. Finland and Sweden will address Türkiye's pending deportation or extradition requests of terror suspects expeditiously and thoroughly, taking into account information, evidence and intelligence provided by Türkiye, and establish necessary bilateral legal frameworks to facilitate extradition and security cooperation with Türkiye, in accordance with the European Convention on Extradition.

Finland and Sweden will investigate and interdict any financing and recruitment activities of the PKK and all other terrorist organizations and their extensions, as well affiliates or inspired groups or networks as outlined in paragraph 5.

Türkiye, Finland and Sweden commit to fight disinformation, and prevent their domestic laws from being abused for the benefit or promotion of terrorist organizations, including through activities that incite violence against Türkiye.

Finland and Sweden will ensure that their respective national regulatory frameworks for arms exports enable new commitments to Allies and reflects their status as NATO members.

Finland and Sweden commit to support the fullest possible involvement of Türkiye and other non-EU Allies in the existing and prospective initiatives of the European Union's Common Security and Defence Policy, including Türkiye's participation in the PESCO Project on Military Mobility.

9. For the implementation of these steps, Türkiye, Finland and Sweden will establish a Permanent Joint Mechanism, with the participation of experts from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Justice, as well as Intelligence Services and Security Institutions. The Permanent Joint Mechanism will be open for others to join.

10.Türkiye confirms its long-standing support for NATO's Open Door policy, and agrees to support at the 2022 Madrid Summit the invitation of Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO. (ILKHA)