Flag of Turkey. File photoANKARA, Jun 8Turkey set ten conditions for Sweden and Finland in response to the lifting of the veto on NATO membership, the newspaper Yeni Şafak reported. Finland and Sweden, against the background of the events in Ukraine on May 18, submitted applications to the NATO Secretary General to join the alliance. Turkey has blocked the start of the process of consideration of these applications. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara cannot say yes to the membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO, because it cannot believe their assurances about relations with representatives of the Kurdistan Workers' Party banned in Turkey. According to the newspaper, the demands requested from the interlocutors were collected in 10 points.» Both countries were asked to support Ankara in its fight against the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in Turkey and the organization of the Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen (FETÖ) and their affiliates. It was stated that Sweden and Finland, which are supporters of terrorist organizations, should establish the necessary legal provisions and legal infrastructure to fight terrorism. It was stressed that attempts to open PKK offices in their countries should be stopped. It was proposed not to allow FETÖ activities carried out in countries and to close the relevant website and media outlets,» the newspaper writes. 
Negotiations between Lavrov and the Turkish Foreign Minister will be intense, Zakharova said. Further, Turkey came forward with a demand to freeze assets and close associations associated with terrorism. «Special attention is paid to the deportation and extradition of persons associated with terrorism in Sweden and Finland. It was stated that terrorist organizations, such as the PKK are prohibited from allowing demonstrations. Two (Sweden and Finland) were asked to share intelligence with Turkey. Both countries were asked to remove defense industry restrictions against Turkey. It was also stated that if Sweden and Finland become members of NATO, they must fulfill these obligations» , — the message says. Russia has repeatedly noted that NATO is aimed at confrontation. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov stated that further expansion of the alliance would not bring greater security to Europe, NATO has an aggressive character. At the same time, he noted that he did not consider the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO an existential threat to Russia. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that abandoning Finland's traditional policy of military neutrality would be a mistake, since there are no threats to its security. Turkey sees Sweden and Finland as a threat to NATO
