Finland's President first visits quake-hit region on his two-day visit to Turkey

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Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland is on a two-day visit to Turkey and is scheduled to meet his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan today (March 17) in Ankara.

Niinistö started his two-day visit from Maraş, where he first went to the Karacasu container-tent city and talked to the victims of the February 6 earthquakes.

Ağrı Governor Osman Varol briefed the President here about the accommodation conditions of the earthquake victims.

The President of Finland also visited the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) yesterday where the rescue team from Finland is also present.

NATO membership

Niinistö replied the questions of the reporters after visiting the container city on Turkey's position in relation to Finland's NATO bid. He recalled Erdoğan saying, "We will do our part, we will keep our promise."

The President of Finland told the reporters that they would have "more information on this issue yesterday [today]."
"I've known Erdoğan for a long time, I am sure that he has important messages," said Niinistö.

Niinistö had said in Helsinki on Wednesday that Turkey had invited him to be present in Turkey when announcing support for Finland's NATO membership. This is expected to happen on Friday and Sweden is expected to wait for Turkey's approval at a later date.

Responding to a question if Finland and Sweden will continue their NATO bids separately, the President of Finland said, "We are not proceeding alone." "However it seems that we can become a member. Because Finland has done everything that was expected. We applied for NATO membership and we entered into negotiations with the government of Turkey which started in Madrid. I think we have done our part fully. Now we are waiting for approval."

President Niinistö and President Erdoğan are to meet today in the presidential complex in Ankara. A joint press conference will be held after the meeting. (AEK/PE)