Turkish minister criticizes NATO applicant’s response to conditions

Helsinki and Stockholm have pledged to address Turkey’s concerns over alleged terrorists in order for Ankara to approve its bid to join the bloc

Finland and Sweden have not extradited a single suspect to Turkey since they pledged to review the Turkish government’s demands, the Turkish minister said. Turquier made a condition of his NATO membership the support of the two Nordic countries in the fight against terrorism.

Turkey’s Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag reported in an interview with new television channel A Haber on Thursday that the extradition was not progressing.

“There have been positive conversations. They have provided some clarifications. They are conducting an ongoing review. No one has been extradited to us from Finland and Sweden,” the official said. Told.

He said his country wants the two Nordic countries to “support the fight against terrorism in Turkiye” before Turkey agrees to a NATO bid. Gives all member states veto power over extensions.

Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership in May, claiming such a move was necessary to gain protection against Russia. Hungary and Turkey are the only members of the organization that have not yet ratified the application. Budapest has promised to do it by mid-December, but Ankara has not set a deadline.

Two future members signed an agreement with the Turkish government in June pledging to address a list of Turkish concerns. Among other things, the Turkish government has accused the Nordic countries of harboring “terrorists” in their country and not cracking down on activities to fund operations against Turkiye.

The Turkish allegations referred to individuals suspected of being associated with the movement of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the US-based Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen.

The PKK has waged a decades-long guerrilla war against Turkey and is considered a terrorist organization by the EU. Ankara accused Gulen of masterminding a failed military coup in 2016.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is scheduled to visit Turkey this week to discuss, among other things, the Finnish and Swedish tenders, according to news agency Anadolu.

(RT.com)