“Don’t expect Turkey’s support for NATO bid after Stockholm protest” – Middle East Monitor
Sweden should not expect Turkey’s support for its NATO membership after a protest near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm this weekend including the burning of a copy of the Koran, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday. Reuters reports.
“Those who allow such blasphemy in front of our embassy (in Stockholm) can no longer expect our support for their NATO membership,” Erdogan said in a speech after a cabinet meeting.
Protests in Stockholm on Saturday against Turkiye and against Sweden’s bid to join NATO, during which a copy of the Koran was burned, have increased tensions with Turkiye, whose support Sweden needs to gain entry into the military alliance.
The Koran burning was carried out by Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right political party Hard Line. Paludan, who also has Swedish citizenship, has held a number of demonstrations in the past where he burned the Koran.
Several Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kuwait condemned the incident.
READ: Extremist Danish politician burns the Koran in Sweden
Sweden and Finland applied last year to join NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but all 30 member states must approve their bid. Ankara has previously said that Sweden in particular must first take a clearer stance against what it sees as terrorists, mainly Kurdish militants and a group it blames for an attempted coup in Turkey in 2016.
“If you love members of terrorist organizations and enemies of Islam so much and protect them, then we advise you to seek their support for the security of your countries,” Erdogan also said.
Turkiye had already summoned Sweden’s ambassador about the incident, canceled a planned visit by Sweden’s defense minister to Ankara and strongly condemned the incident.