2 yıl önce

Erdogan vows Türkiye won't 'change position' over NATO's Nordic expansion

"Türkiye maintains the admission of Sweden and Finland entails risks for its own security and the organisation's [NATO] future," President Erdogan argues in The Economist article.

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President Erdogan asks Sweden to lift all arms embargoes on it, saying they are "incompatible with the spirit of military partnership under the NATO umbrella."

Türkiye will not change its position on NATO expansion unless bloc membership aspirants Sweden and Finland prevent "recruitment, fundraising and propaganda activities" of the PKK terror group, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

Writing in the British weekly outlet The Economist on Monday, Erdogan said, "Turkey maintains that the admission of Sweden and Finland entails risks for its own security and the organisation's future."

"We have every right to expect those countries, which will expect NATO's second-largest army to come to their defence under Article 5, to prevent the recruitment, fundraising and propaganda activities of the PKK, which the European Union and America consider a terrorist entity."

"Terrorism is a threat to all members and the candidate countries should recognise this reality before joining. Unless they take necessary steps, Turkey will not change its position on this issue," Erdogan wrote.

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO on May 18, a decision spurred by fears that Russia won't stop at Ukraine, where its forces are engaging in multi-front fighting since February 24.

Türkiye, a longstanding member of the NATO alliance, has voiced objections to their membership bids, criticising the countries for tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups, such as the PKK and its Syrian offshoot YPG.

Türkiye last week hosted consultations with Swedish and Finnish delegations on their NATO applications. Ankara says both Nordic countries have not taken the necessary steps regarding Türkiye's demands.

Erdogan asked Sweden to lift all arms embargoes on it, saying they are "incompatible with the spirit of military partnership under the NATO umbrella."

"Such restrictions not only undermine our national security but also damage NATO's own identity. Sweden's and Finland’s uncompromising insistence on joining the alliance has added an unnecessary item to the NATO agenda," he said.

NATO's reputation 'at risk'

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

Recently, Turkish security forces said they found Swedish AT-4 anti-tank weapons, along with other arms and ammunition, in a cave used by PKK terrorists in northern Iraq.

Speaking with Sweden's state-run broadcaster SVT, Salih Muslum, a ringleader of the terrorist group PKK/YPG, said his group trusts Sweden which he said would not respond positively to Türkiye's demands for NATO membership.

Syria-based YPG is affiliated with PKK.

Ankara wants Sweden and Finland to take a clear stand against terror groups before joining the NATO alliance.

"We believe that the reputation and the credibility of the [NATO] alliance will be at risk if NATO members follow double standards in regard to the fight against terrorism," Erdogan concluded in his article.

SOURCE: TRT World