NATO expansion should go in line with sensitivities of Türkiye: Erdogan

If Sweden and Finland don’t fulfil the necessary conditions outlined in the memorandum, Türkiye will move to freeze their NATO accession process, said the country's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Our stance is resolute, the rest is up to them," said Erdogan.
AA

"Our stance is resolute, the rest is up to them," said Erdogan.

NATO’s expansion policies should go in line with the sensitivities of longtime member Türkiye, the nation’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, weeks after signing a protocol with membership hopefuls Sweden and Finland.

Referring to conditions in a memorandum the two Nordic countries signed with Türkiye at last month’s NATO summit in Madrid, Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday warned after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara: “I repeat it again that we will freeze their NATO accession process if the conditions are not met.”

"Sweden does not look good in that regard. Our stance is resolute, the rest is up to them," he added.

Ankara and the two Scandinavian countries had signed a memorandum that allows the countries to become NATO members but requires them to take steps on Türkiye's terrorism concerns and lift an arms embargo on Ankara.

Following the memorandum, NATO formally invited Sweden and Finland to join the 30-member military alliance.

READ MORE: Finland, Sweden cooperation key to fight PKK terrorists: NATO chief

Tolerating and supporting terrorists

Earlier this month representatives from NATO's 30 member states signed accession protocols for Finland and Sweden after formally inviting them to join the military alliance.

Spurred by Russia's offensive in Ukraine, the two countries applied to join NATO in May, shedding their traditional neutrality.

But Türkiye voiced objections to their membership bids, criticising the countries for tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups such as the YPG/PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK - listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU - has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Türkiye, in which 251 people were killed and 2,734 injured.

FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

READ MORE: YPG/PKK terror group supporters in Sweden protest deal on NATO membership

Loading...
Route 6