Turkey is not easing off its demands on Finland and Sweden, but could consider ratification of Finland's Nato application separately and more positively, said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during a visit to Tallinn, Estonia on Wednesday.
Following talks in the Estonian capital, Cavusoglu and Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu held a joint press conference where Yle reporter Rain Kooli asked if Turkey has already decided to process Finland and Sweden's Nato membership applications separately.
Cavusoglu replied that if Nato decides to separate the membership processes of Finland and Sweden, then "Turkey will, of course, reconsider Finland's membership separately, and more favourably, I can say."
Turkey's position "remains firm"
Estonia's Foreign Minister Reinsalu said at the beginning of the press conference that he had made it clear to his colleague that for Estonia the smooth progress of Finland's and Sweden's Nato membership is an existential issue, and necessary for Europe and Nato more broadly.
A reporter from Estonian public radio, ERR, asked Cavusoglu if he understands how important it is for Estonia's security that Finland and Sweden become Nato members.
The Turkish foreign minister said he understood the security concerns of Estonia, Finland and Sweden. According to Cavusoglu, Nato faces two threats — Russia and terrorism, and Turkey expects other Nato members, as well as Finland and Sweden, to also understand Turkey's security concerns.
He repeated his previous words that the situation in Finland is simpler, but that Sweden in particular has not fulfilled its obligations under a memorandum of understanding which the two Nordic countries and Turkey signed in May. He repeated several times that Turkey's security concerns must be listened to.
Cavusoglu was directly asked how Turkey would react if it knew that Russia was planning to attack the Nato candidate countries of Finland or Sweden in coming weeks.
"Regardless of any provocations or threats, our position is clear. As long as the candidates fulfill their obligations, we view the application positively. Whatever the situation, this position of ours will remain firm," Cavusoglu said.
Cavusoglu's comments at the Tallinn press conference were largely in line with what he has said in recent days.
Cavusoglu had already said in two previous press conferences this week that Turkey could evaluate Finland's and Sweden's applications separately if Nato and the respective countries make a decision on the matter.
He has also repeated Turkey's point of view that Finland's case is simpler than Sweden's.
In a speech televised on Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, concerning Nato membership applications by the two countries that, "we may deliver Finland a different message and Sweden would be shocked when they see our message. But Finland should not make the same mistake Sweden did."
Joint Nato process continues
Finland is continuing to promote the Nato membership process together with Sweden.
On Wednesday, President Sauli Niinistö met with the Government's Foreign and Security Policy Ministerial Committee for discussions on issues including the Nato process.
According to the committee, the fastest possible approval of membership for both Finland and Sweden is in the interest of both countries and also in the interest of Nato.
Although Finland and Sweden will continue on the path towards Nato accession together, a senior official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Yle it was important to note that the two Nordic nations have not submitted a joint application to the alliance.
Piritta Asunmaa, head of the ministry's political department, said she wanted to issue a clarification following Cavusoglu's comments earlier on Wednesday.
"Each country applies for membership alone. Finland applies as Finland and Sweden as Sweden. We have not made a joint application for Finland and Sweden, but we have progressed together and will continue to progress together," Asunmaa said.