If Turkey insists on a veto on the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO "questions will arise regarding its behaviour" as a member state of the Atlantic Alliance, said France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna in an interview published in today's Journal du Dimanche.
Noting that Finland and Sweden "have made a historic choice" and that "having both of them in NATO will be a plus for security in Europe," the French minister stressed that "they have made efforts in their discussions with Turkey" and that "it is up to Turkey to make its choices in the face of its responsibilities. Does it want to strengthen the Alliance or is it against it?"
"A period of clarification for the French parties"
Asked whether the opposition, on the French political scene, of Jean-Luc Mélenchon's and Marine Le Pen's factions to NATO complicates the issue of Sweden's and Finland's accession, Colonna said that "the period that is opening is also a period of clarification", that "if the candidacies of Finland and Sweden are accepted, which we hope they will be, then parliamentary ratification will be required" and that "it will be advisable for everyone to make a choice for history, for the security of our Euro-Atlantic area and therefore for the protection of the French."
The Foreign Minister also sees a period of clarification of positions for the French parties regarding France's European policy, saying that the opposition parties will have to answer "whether they want a stronger Europe that allows us to strengthen our sovereignty, as we achieved during the French presidency of the EU, or whether they reject it."
This is true, on many issues they said, such as whether they want to increase the number of women on the boards of European companies or whether they are in favour of establishing a decent minimum wage in all EU countries.
Finally, she was asked whether the Deputy Minister Chrysoula Zacharopoulou , who comes under her ministry, would like to give it up to be able to defend herself against allegations of "rape" referring to extremely painful gynaecological examinations to which she has subjected her patients in the past, Colonna said that the Greek-French Deputy Minister is handling her files efficiently and that no comment can be made on the substance of the case since it is in the hands of the judiciary. She also said that the presumption of innocence applies to everyone, but that as Prime Minister Bourne said, it is important that everything be heard freely.
Source: APM
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