Finland Can Promise No PKK Threat To Turkey Will Come From Finnish Soil - Foreign Minister

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd May, 2022) Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on Sunday his country can give Turkey guarantees that it will not harbor members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), labeled "terrorists" by both Ankara and Brussels.

Turkey has objected to Finland's and Sweden's membership in NATO after accusing the two Nordic nations of supporting PKK insurgency.

"Such guarantees can certainly be given to Turkey. Since the PKK is an organization listed as terrorists in Europe, it is important that we do our part in not allowing any terrorist activity on Finnish soil," Haavisto told national broadcaster Yle.

He said he now believed that Finland's accession to NATO could take a few weeks. This comes days after Haavisto suggested that Helsinki was just days away from a breakthrough in accession talks. The deadline is the NATO summit in late June.

"I am optimistic that the problems will be solved, but it may take some time," he added.

Turkey has demanded that Finland hand over terror suspects, something that Haavisto said could only happen if rule-of-law is observed.