Having referred to the first trilateral meeting among Turkey, Finland and Sweden called as Permanent Joint Mechanism to remove challenges ahead of Sweden and Finland ascension to NATO, Morteza Makki in an interview with the site of Strategic Council on Foreign Relations spelled out:” after several decades of neutrality, the two countries decided to join NATO but their membership will be coupled with challenges for some countries, including and among them; with the ascension of their membership, the U.S. will further complete its security – military hegemony over Europe. Therefore, some of European countries look at the consequences of their membership suspiciously”.
Having stated that the procedure of Sweden and Finland membership to NATO has already been legally approved in most of NATO member countries, he added:” every applicant country for NATO membership, should receive the green light and adoption of parliaments as well as highest officials of other NATO member countries, but Sweden and Finland in going through the path, have faced an impediment originated from Turkish policies versus Europe”.
The analyst of European affairs said:” After Ukraine crisis, Erdogan tried to play a multi-purpose game to take the maximum benefit from the provided opportunities. While offering its advanced drones to Ukrainian government, Turkey maintained its deep military, economic and trade relations with the country, in the meantime, it tried to preserve its political and economic ties with Russia as well. On the other side, Turkey considered Sweden and Finland demand to join NATO as an opportunity to adjust critical positions of some Northern European countries where Kurds have influential societies and in a way, to take concessions from those countries”.
Makki continued:” within the past months, NATO Secretary General and some European countries made effort to mediate between the two countries and Turkey, to bring their views closer and thus to pave the ground for their membership. Sweden and Finland, in their turn, made promises; they closed the offices of some individuals whom Turkey claimed to be among those who committed alleged terrorist activities. The two countries even said that some individuals will be extradited to Turkey”.
The analyst of European issues reminded:” Finland and Sweden have expressed that they would accord complete solidarity and cooperation with Turkey to fight against all forms of terrorism and all forms of threats against Turkey’s national security, particularly PKK, People’s Supportive Units, and Syrian Democratic Union Party. Moreover, they agreed not to support “Gülen’s organization”, and not to impose any arms sanction upon Turkey”.
He added:” the Sweden’s proposal concerning the extradition of a member of PKK to Turkey is assessed in line with this; that the country could win the support of Turkey to its NATO membership application. Therefore, it seems that the main part of the procedure of Sweden as well as Finland membership demand is already passed within NATO. Those critical positions taken by some Turkish political and judicial authorities against Sweden and Finland are aimed at taking further concessions”.
Having reminded that in the last NATO Summit Meeting in Brussels, Erdogan expressed his implicit agreement with Sweden and Finland admission to NATO, the expert of European issues said:” Yet, the positions have been sharpened within the recent weeks in order to take maximum concessions from the two countries”.
Having stated that Erdogan is a player who easily changes his positions in order to meet Turkish economic, political and security interests, Makki added:” We witness the same fluctuation in positions in connection with Turkish relations with Syria. It does not seem that Turkish relations with Sweden and Finland will be coupled with as many challenges as Syria. Turkey has no fixed and concrete limits for its oppositions. Therefore, when it gains its maximum expectations and normalization of relations with European countries where it has always received critiques from their governments, then it will show flexibility and reduce pressures”. Concerning the consequences of paving the ground for Sweden and Finland membership to NATO by Turkey on its relations with Russia, he said:” Russians are aware of Turkey’s position and circumstance. Turkey is one of the main suppliers of agricultural products to Russia. The country can be one of routes to bypass European sanctions
(on Russia). Having borne this very fact in mind and despite critiques that they will raise against the country, Russians will not go beyond their limits to challenge their multi-faceted relations with Turkey”.
The analyst of European issues continued:” Although Sweden and Finland membership to NATO will be costly and painstaking to Russia, but Russia will definitely not adopt a military strategy to react. It will avoid engaging itself in several fronts; therefore, the maximum predictable reaction is to deploy strategic missiles and arms to its borders with Finland”.
Having stated that Turkey will make effort to simultaneously have balanced relations with all countries that address its foreign and security policy, Makki noted:” Russians are definitely dissatisfied with facilitation of Finland and Sweden membership to NATO by Turkey, but they will have no way out but to admit it, because, at least for trade and economic reasons, Turkey is of great importance to Russia. It was Turkey that managed to make the agreement between Russia and Ukraine with NATO mediation in order to export grains from Ukraine and to export fertilizers as well as grains from Russia. If it is not for Turkey, Russia could not acquire the opportunity to bypass the European and the U.S. sanctions”.
Having emphasized that the main Turkish approach in its foreign policy is to remain in the West’s bloc, he said:” Turkey is a member of NATO as the most comprehensive and the most important security treaty in the world, but this will not cause the country to neglect other opportunities. Instead, it will use all and every opportunity. Likewise, European governments as well as the U.S. Administration pay due attention to the Turkish situation in NATO and its centerpiece position in transferring energy, and thus they have no way out but to admit its political acrobatics”.