Comments from Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto that Finland could pursue NATO membership without its partner Sweden after Turkey said it would not support Stockholm’s bid, has ruffled many feathers in Sweden and Finland.
Finland and Sweden, who have sought NATO membership in a joint bidding move, have seen their applications stalled by Turkey and Hungary – the only two NATO states that have not yet ratified the membership in their respective laws.
Sweden, for its part, saw its membership hopes dashed even further on Monday after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reacting to protesters in Stockholm hanging an effigy of him and burning a copy of the Quran, said the country should not expect Turkish backing.
Commenting on the turn of events, Haavisto told YLE in an interview on Tuesday that Finland may have to “re-think” its strategy about its NATO bid.
Following his remarks which many qualified as a blunder, and after talks with his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billström and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Haavisto held a press conference in which he confirmed Finland’s commitment to the joint NATO bid with Sweden, reassuring that alternatives would only be sought if the Swedish bid were to be permanently on the rocks.
Regardless of Haavisto’s back-pedalling, it appears the damage is done, with commentators saying he had opened Pandora’s box.
The comments reignited a discussion about Finland seeking ratification from Turkey and Hungary without Sweden that had already been had last Autumn, the tabloid Iltalethi said on Monday.
(Pekka Vänttinen | EURACTIV.com)
Source: euractiv.com
