Sweden has not alleviated NATO’s concerns
ISTANBUL (AP) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told the Swedish Prime Minister that he has not seen any “tangible” measures to address Turkey’s concerns about her country joining NATO, Erdogan’s office said on Saturday.
In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Erdogan called for “binding commitments” from Sweden, as well as a “concrete change of attitude” in the country’s attitude to fighting terrorism.
He added that Turkey had not seen “any concrete initiative from Sweden that would alleviate Turkey’s concerns at this time” about the Nordic nation’s request to join NATO, the president’s communications directorate said in a statement.
Sweden and Finland applied to join the Western military alliance in May following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Turkey, which is a member of NATO, has so far blocked the applications, citing what Ankara considers to be a soft approach to organizations such as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK.
The PKK has waged a 38-year uprising against Turkey that has left tens of thousands dead.
Turkey demands that Sweden and Finland grant extradition requests for people wanted in Turkey. Ankara claims that the countries host PKK members and people it says are linked to a failed 2016 coup.
Turkey also wants assurances that arms restrictions imposed by the two countries during Turkey’s 2019 military invasion of northern Syria will be lifted.
Finland’s and Sweden’s membership requests and Turkey’s objections are expected to be a central theme at a NATO summit on 28-30 June in Madrid.
Erdogan previously reiterated Turkey’s demands in a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the presidency said.