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Senior Türkiye official lashes out at Sweden over provocative PKK/YPG event

Sweden must prevent terrorist groups from operating in the Nordic country, Presidency's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun demands, accusing Stockholm of going back on its commitments to Ankara.

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Fahrettin Altun says Türkiye does not want Sweden's bid to join NATO to be disrupted, but Stockholm has to take strong measures.

Türkiye has demanded Sweden immediately cut its support to anti-Ankara terrorists and their sympathisers in the Nordic country after loyalists of the PKK/YPG terror group organised a provocative event in capital Stockholm.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this heinous act carried out very clearly and unequivocally by the members of this bloody terrorist organisation there, and we urge the Swedish authorities to take necessary steps without further delay and fulfil the demands that we have expressed very concretely at this point," Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun told broadcaster TRT Haber on Thursday, accusing Stockholm of going back on its past promises to Ankara.

Altun was reacting to a gathering of terror supporters who converged in front of the historical City Hall in the capital Stockholm, hung a puppet –– likened to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan –– by the feet on a pole in front of the building and shared video footage of this moment on social media.

"We are not interested in words but rather in action. We anticipate the commitments made in the Madrid trilateral memorandum to be fulfilled. This is our stance," Altun said.

Sweden needs to keep the promises, which it made in Madrid, to join NATO – of which Türkiye has been a member for 70 years.
It would be futile to expect Türkiye to make any concessions in that regard.
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) January 12, 2023

'Hand over terrorists'

Altun said while Ankara is fighting for regional peace, it is also fighting against global terrorism for the past 20 years and has paid a high price in the process.

"In this regard, as President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan has repeatedly stated, we request support from our allies, especially Western countries, and actors whom we consider as friends," he said.

"Unfortunately, we have seen for a long time that Western countries, European countries prefer to support terrorist organisations instead of supporting their ally, Türkiye. By protecting terrorist organisations, they are essentially betraying their own social peace and global peace."

Altun said Türkiye held several meetings with the Swedish government and told them to "stop the terrorist activities on your own land; break your ties with FETO and the PKK" even before the NATO discussion began.

When Sweden's membership in NATO came into question, Altun said, Ankara repeated its demands and warned "as long as you protect terrorist organisations, you cannot be in alliance with us in NATO."

"We urge you [Sweden] again to fulfill your commitment to hand over the terrorists to Türkiye. We urge you to prevent these terrorist organisations from operating on your lands," the Turkish official added.

The Turkish communications director warned that European countries protecting terror groups would deprive them of the strategic, geopolitical and demographic opportunities that Türkiye will provide.

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

Fetullah Terrorist Organization [or FETO] orchestrated a defeated coup in Türkiye on July 15, 2016 in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 others were wounded.

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

Türkiye sets rules

Sweden formally applied to join NATO in May 2022, abandoning decades of military non-alignment, a decision spurred by Russia's war against Ukraine, which started on February 24.

But Türkiye — a powerful NATO member for more than 70 years — voiced objections, accusing both Sweden and Finland of tolerating and even supporting terrorist groups, including the PKK and the FETO.

Last June, Türkiye and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum at a NATO summit to address Ankara's legitimate security concerns, paving the way for their eventual membership in the alliance.

Altun said Türkiye does not want Sweden's bid to join NATO to be disrupted, but Stockholm has to take strong measures.

"As long as you protect terrorist organisations, you cannot be in alliance with us in NATO. If you are going to be in a real alliance with us in NATO, then support our fight against terrorism and terrorist organisations," he said.

Altun said under the leadership of President Erdogan, Türkiye has reached an entirely different position and is now a country that sets rules.

"Türkiye is now not only an island of stability but also a stabilising power. Türkiye is now the primary negotiator in the Russia-Ukraine War, the conflict from which the region and the world suffer the most," he said.

Ankara will continue to protect its position, he said, and fight against global terrorism and eradicate terrorism at its source "regardless of the circumstances."

SOURCE: TRT World