Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuffed calls from NATO allies to quickly ratify Sweden’s membership in the military alliance, saying his country can’t trust a country where “terrorists roam free in its streets.”
(Bloomberg) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rebuffed calls from NATO allies to quickly ratify Sweden’s membership in the military alliance, saying his country can’t trust a country where “terrorists roam free in its streets.”
The Turkish president escalated his criticism of Sweden ahead of a critical meeting with its prime minister, Ulf Kristersson, in Vilnius, Lithuania on Monday, just a day before leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization gather at a summit meeting there.
In what appeared to be a tougher stance, Erdogan questioned Sweden’s ability to fight enemies of the alliance in response to NATO allies who want Turkey to swiftly approve Sweden’s membership.
“Those who advise us should answer the following questions frankly: How can Turkey trust a country where terrorists roam its streets?” Erdogan told military officers at a ceremony in Istanbul without elaborating. “How can a state that does not distance itself from terrorist organizations contribute to NATO? How can those who do not fight terrorism fight the enemies of the alliance?”
Sweden has lifted a ban on arms sales to Turkey and amended its anti-terrorism laws as part of a deal clinched last year to break the impasse. In Sweden’s view, the new legal measures satisfy its last remaining obligation under an agreement signed at NATO’s Madrid summit to pave the way for ratification. But Erdogan, who calls the shots in Turkey as the country’s all-powerful president, says that’s still not good enough.
“We expect the promises made to our country in Madrid to be fulfilled,” Erdogan said, adding that Turkey was supporting NATO’s expansion and has approved Finland’s membership. “We will bring all these issues to the attention of our alliance partners again at the leaders’ summit in Vilnius on Tuesday.”
Read more: Turkey Demands Sweden Expel Kurd Suspects Before NATO Entry
Turkey wants Sweden to extradite or expel alleged supporters of Kurdish militant group PKK, which is labeled a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union, as well as of affiliated Kurdish YPG forces in Syria and followers of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan alleges Gulen masterminded a 2016 coup attempt in Turkey.
“Those who say, ‘Let’s show solidarity under the roof of NATO,’ cannot have any reasonable justification for embracing the murderers who attempted a coup in Turkey and killed thousands of our people over the past 40 years,” Erdogan said referring to the 2016 coup attempt and the PKK’s fight since 1984.
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