STOCKHOLM : Swedish Foreign Minister has confirmed that envoys from Finland, Sweden and Turkey are due to meet for talks on Friday over the two Nordic nations joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) .
Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said "The issue is how we should follow up on the agreement that Turkey, Finland and Sweden reached during the NATO conclave in Madrid, which was a precondition for Turkey to agree to Sweden's and Finland's requests,"
Turkey stopped Sweden and Finland from joining NATO and imposed a number of restrictions on the defence alliance's ability to admit new members. Among other pledges, the two new Nordic members have promised to assist Turkey in the event of threats to its security. Deportations are also to be made easier.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, specifically charged the two with harbouring Gulenists and members of the Syrian YPG militia.
Although some believe the YPG has ties to terrorism, certain Western nations believe it to be the most effective combat force in Syria against Islamist terrorist groups. The Gulenist network is blamed for planning the 2016 coup attempt.
Meetings between representatives of the three nations will now alternate between Finland, Sweden, and Turkey, said Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.
According to Linde, Sweden's state secretary Oscar Stenstrom is scheduled to attend the opening negotiations.
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