http://syn2.thecanadianpress.com:8080/mrss/feed/fcf7391a2f354311807f0501c16bde6a MSN - AP World Copyright © 2010-2018 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved. http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Wed, 10 Aug 2022 14:50:01 +0000 http://syn2.thecanadianpress.com:8080/mrss/feed/fcf7391a2f354311807f0501c16bde6a/fb02a369dee843fd9a224209bfe8dc1e US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is confident that Finland and Sweden application to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will move forward despite objections from Turkey. fb02a369dee843fd9a224209bfe8dc1e Fri, 27 May 2022 20:24:38 +0000 SHOTLIST:RESTRICTION SUMMARY:US DEPARTMENT OF STATEWashington DC - 27 May 20221. Cutaway of US Secretary Antony Blinken meets with Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State:"Finland and Sweden are working directly with Turkey to address some of the concerns that it raised. We're also talking to Turkey. I saw the Turkish foreign minister in New York about a week ago and those conversations continue. I don't want to characterize the conversations beyond saying that first, there is a very strong consensus in NATO for the admission of Finland and Sweden, and I remain confident that we will work through this process swiftly and that things will move forward with with both countries. As Pekka said, it is a process. In that process countries raise concerns that they may have. We work through them. That's what Finland and Sweden are doing right now with Turkey. And I'm confident that this will move forward."++SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++3. SOUNBITE (English) Pekka Haavisto, Foreign Minister of Finland:"We got extraordinary support from majority of NATO members, very open support. And it looked like countries are competing who will ratify first the applications. And of course, that was a very positive signal to us. At the same time, countries have the right to raise concerns. Turkey has raised some concerns regarding the PKK issue, terrorist issues and so forth. PKK is a forbidden organization in Finland. We are part of those solutions in the European Union where terrorist organizations are listed. It's the same in Sweden and so forth. And these are the answers that we are giving, of course, in this case to to Turkey."++SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++4. SOUNBITE (English) Pekka Haavisto, Foreign Minister of Finland:"We, of course, hope that the process goes smoothly and rapidly because this what we call the gray zone between the putting the application in and finally getting approved as NATO members, of course, includes some security concerns. We have got the extraordinary strong assurances from countries like U.S., UK and many others during this period. But of course, it's not the same as the NATO Article Five security guarantees, and that's why we would hope that this process goes smoothly and rapidly."STORYLINE:US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is confident that Finland and Sweden application to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will move forward despite objections from Turkey."Finland and Sweden are working directly with Turkey to address some of the concerns that it raised," said Blinken."There is a very strong consensus in NATO's for the admission of Finland and Sweden, and I remain confident that we will work through this process swiftly and that things will move forward with with both countries."Blinken's made his comments during a visit from Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto to the State Department on Friday.This comes as Turkey’s foreign minister says Sweden and Finland must now take “concrete steps” to alleviate his country’s security concerns to overcome Ankara’s objections to their NATO membership bid.Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Friday that delegations from the two Nordic countries have returned home with Turkey’s demands after a visit this week and Ankara is awaiting their answers.The countries’ membership bids require support from all NATO countries, but Turkey is objecting to them. It has cited alleged support for Kurdish militants that Turkey considers terrorists and restrictions on weapons sales to Turkey."Turkey has raised some concerns regarding the PKK, terrorist issues that for PKK is a forbidden organization in Finland," said Haavisto. "We are part of those solutions in the European Union where terrorist organizations are listed. It's the same in Sweden and so forth. And these are the answers that we are giving, of course===========================================================Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: info@aparchive.com(ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is confident that Finland and Sweden application to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will move forward despite objections from Turkey. Blinken: Confident Finland, Sweden will join NATO