Finnish–Turkish relations
Map indicating locations of Finland and Turkey

Finland
Turkey
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Finland, AnkaraEmbassy of Turkey, Helsinki

Finland–Turkey relations are foreign relations between Finland and Turkey. Finland has an embassy in Ankara and an honorary consulate general in Istanbul and other honorary consulates in Adana, Alanya, Antalya, Belek, Bodrum, İzmir, and Kayseri. Turkey has an embassy in Helsinki. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the Union for the Mediterranean.

History

Finnish Tatars celebrating Turkey in Tampere, October 1933

The Ottoman Empire recognized the independence of Finland on February 21, 1918. Diplomatic relations between them were established on September 12, 1926. Relations between the two countries were described as being friendly though due to geographical separation, co-operation was limited. The first ambassador to Turkey was established in 1931 and an embassy in 1940. Finnish President at the time, Urho Kekkonen, made a state visit to Turkey in 1971, being the first Nordic head of state to visit Turkey in 250 years. Finnish tourism to Turkey increased in the 1980s, when destinations were established first to Marmara region and later to Alanya and Side. Finland was among the first countries to support Turkey's accession to the EU.[1]

In 2008, the front door of the Turkish embassy in Helsinki was set on fire. The day prior to that, a Kurdish demonstration was staged by the embassy. Four young men of Turkish-Kurdish background were brought into custody. The Police stated it was politically motivated.[2] Finland stopped selling weapons to Turkey in 2019 due to Turkey's military operation in Syria.[3] In 2020, a Finnish citizen was arrested in Turkey, being suspected of having links to ISIS. Finland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs reported that it was aware of the arrest but refused to comment on it.[4] In January 2023, Finland lifted its embargo on weapons exports to Turkey.[5]

Osman Kavala dispute

In October 2021, in the wake of the appeal for the release of Turkish activist Osman Kavala signed by 10 western countries, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ordered his foreign minister to declare the Finnish ambassador persona non grata, alongside the other 9 ambassadors.[6] Following a statement by the ambassadors, reiterating their compliance with Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations regarding the diplomatic duty not to interfere in host states’ internal affairs, President Erdoğan decided to not expel the ambassadors.[7]

In October 2021, Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin reacted sharply to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who declared his country's ambassador deported. And Marin also asked Erdoğan to implement the European Court of Human Rights decisions and to respect the ECHR judgments.[8]

Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Turkish Ambassador Deniz Çakar met in Helsinki on 9 December 2022

Accession of Finland to NATO

In 2022, Turkey opposed Finland joining NATO because according to Turkey it hosts “terrorist organisations” which act against Turkey (including the PKK, PYD, YPG and Gulen movement). (However, the Gülen movement is on the list of terrorist organizations in Turkey. However, it is not on the list of terrorist organizations in Finland and the PKK is on the list of terrorist organizations in Turkey and Finland).[9] In May 2022, Turkey quickly blocked the applications for NATO membership of Finland's from proceeding through an accelerated process.[10] In May 2022, Turkey vetoed Finland's NATO membership.[11] Turkey has demanded Finland and Sweden to extradite alleged terrorists linked to the Gülen movement and the Kurdish militant group PKK.[12] By June 2022 Finland had received 10 extradition requests, of which two were handed to the Turkish authorities. There are around 16,000 Kurds in Finland, some of them being from Turkey.[13] Turkey asked Finland and Sweden not to support the Gülen movement and the PKK.[14] Turkey asked Finland to stop and end the Kurdish demonstrations.[14] Turkey asked Finland and Sweden not to support terrorism.[15] Turkey asked Finland and Sweden to address Turkey's security concerns.[16] In September 2022, Turkey requested the extradition of 6 Turkish citizens from Finland. However, Finland did not respond positively and refused.[17] Turkey demanded that Finland end its support to the Gülen movement and the PKK.[18] In December 2022, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen, in a statement after his meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, announced that Finland was ready to address Turkey's security concerns and that they always condemned terrorism.[19][20] In January 2023, President of the Turkish Grand National Assembly Mustafa Şentop cancelled the Finnish Parliament Speaker Matti Vanhanen's visit to Turkey.[21] After Turkey's parliament approved Finland's application on 30 March 2023, Finland was set to become the 31st member of NATO.[22]

Economic relations

Turkey is an important trading partner for Finland. Trade between the two countries totaled $1.3 billion in 2018. Turkey is among the most popular tourist destinations for Finns, with 230,000 Finns travelling to Turkey in 2015.[23]

Diaspora

As of 2021, there were 11,392 people in Finland of Turkish background, of which 8,841 were born in Turkey and 2,551 in Finland.[24] Around 2,000 Finns live in the Alanya region alone.[25]

European Union

Finland joined the EU in 1995. Turkey is still a candidate country for the EU, and membership negotiations have been effectively frozen since 2016. Finland fully supports Turkey's EU membership process, as it has effectively frozen membership negotiations.

NATO

Turkey joined NATO in 1952. Finland joined NATO in 2023.

State visits

Guest Host Place of visit Date of visit
Turkey President Abdullah Gül Finland President Tarja Halonen Helsinki, Finland 7–9 October 2008
Finland Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Istanbul, Turkey 6 October 2009
Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Finland Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi Helsinki, Finland 19–20 October 2010
Finland President Tarja Halonen Turkey President Abdullah Gül Ankara, and Şanlıurfa, Turkey 29–30 March 2011
Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Finland Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen Helsinki, Finland 5–6 November 2013
Finland President Sauli Niinistö Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Ankara, and Istanbul, Turkey 12–15 October 2015
Turkey Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu Finland Prime Minister Juha Sipilä Helsinki, Finland 6 April 2016
Finland President Sauli Niinistö Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Ankara, and Kahramanmaraş, Turkey 16–17 March 2023[26]

Resident diplomatic missions

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kahdenväliset suhteet" (in Finnish). Finnish embassy in Ankara. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  2. ↑ "Turkish Embassy in Helsinki Defaced". yle news. YLE. 21 October 2008. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "Finlandiya, Türkiye'ye silah satışını durdurdu". ANF (in Turkish). October 9, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Finnish citizen arrested in Turkey, suspected of involvement in terror group Isis". yle news. YLE. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "Finland permits first defence export to Turkey since 2019". Middle East Eye. 2023-01-25. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  6. ↑ "Turkey to declare 10 ambassadors 'persona non grata'". dw.com. 23 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "Erdoğan backpedals, says 10 Western envoys can stay in Turkey". POLITICO. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Finlandiya Başbakanı Sanna Marin: Erdoğan'ın tepkisi üzüntü verici". Cumhuriyet (in Turkish). October 25, 2021.
  9. ↑ Toksabay, Ece; Lehto, Essi (13 May 2022). "Erdogan says Turkey not supportive of Finland, Sweden joining NATO". Reuters.
  10. ↑ "NYT: Türkiye, İsveç ve Finlandiya'nın NATO'ya hızlı üyeliğini bloke etti" (in Turkish). tr.euronews.com. 2022-05-18.
  11. ↑ "Türkiye'den İsveç ve Finlandiya'ya ilk veto". www.yenisafak.com (in Turkish). May 18, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Türkiye, İsveç ve Finlandiya'ya teröristlerin iadesi için yazı gönderdi". ensonhaber.com (in Turkish). July 6, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Näin Suomen kurdit kommentoivat Turkin presidentti Erdoğanin vaatimuksia: "Jos hyväksytään Turkin ehdot, Isis vahvistuu"". June 2022.
  14. 1 2 "Türkiye'den İsveç ve Finlandiya'ya NATO üyeliği için 10 şart". tgrthaber.com.tr (in Turkish). June 8, 2022.
  15. ↑ "İsveç ve Finlandiya'ya 10 şart". www.yenisafak.com (in Turkish). June 8, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Çavuşoğlu: Türkiye'nin güvenlik endişeleri karşılanmalı". www.bloomberght.com (in Turkish). May 18, 2022.
  17. ↑ "'İade' tartışmasında AKP'ye kötü haber: Finlandiya talepleri reddetti". www.samanyoluhaber.com (in Turkish). September 9, 2022.
  18. ↑ "NATO'ya girmek isteyen İsveç ve Finlandiya, terör örgütlerini himaye ediyor". Anadolu Ajansı. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  19. ↑ "Bakan Akar, Finlandiya Savunma Bakanı Kaikkonen ile bir araya geldi" (in Turkish). Cumhuriyet. 2022-12-08. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  20. ↑ "Finlandiya Savunma Bakanı Kaikkonen: Türkiye'nin güvenlik endişelerini anlıyoruz, terörle mücadelede kararlıyız" (in Turkish). Anadolu Ajansı. 2022-12-08. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  21. ↑ ""Meillä on Pohjoismaissa mielipiteen ilmaisun vapaus" – Vanhaselta viesti Erdoğan-nukesta pillastuneille turkkilaisille" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. 2023-01-16.
  22. ↑ Aaron Mehta (30 Mar 2023) Welcome to NATO: Finland clears Turkish hurdle, will join military alliance in coming weeks
  23. ↑ "Trips abroad by Trip purpose, Area of destination, Year, Season, Type of trip abroad and Information".
  24. ↑ "Origin and background country by language, age (1-year) and sex, 1990-2021". Statistics Finland. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  25. ↑ "Ollilat asuvat upeasti Alanyassa: Maksoi vähemmän kuin yksiö Kalliossa" (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  26. ↑ "Niinistö visits Turkey earthquake zone". yle news. YLE. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
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