June 4, 2022
1 min read

‘Our concerns are legitimate’: Erdogan on Sweden, Finland NATO bids

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg stressed the “necessity to meet the expectations of Turkey, an important ally”…reports Asian Lite News

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that Turkey’s security concerns on Sweden and Finland’s intention to join the alliance were based on “just and legitimate” grounds, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.

“Both countries should clearly display that they have given up supporting terrorism, that they have lifted sanctions against Turkey, and that they are ready to show alliance solidarity,” Erdogan told the NATO chief in a phone call, Xinhua news agency reported.

Stoltenberg stressed the “necessity to meet the expectations of Turkey, an important ally.”

Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO following the Russia-Ukraine conflict that erupted in late February.

NATO allies, except for Turkey, have welcomed the Nordics’ appeal. Ankara, however, citing the Swedish and Finnish ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and other anti-Turkey outlawed groups, objected to their entry into the alliance.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

Turkey demanded an array of “concrete assurances” from Sweden and Finland, which included “termination of political support for terrorism,” “elimination of the source of terrorism financing” and “cessation of arms support” to the PKK and its Syrian Kurdish offshoot.

The demands also include the lifting of the two countries’ arms sanctions against Turkey.

ALSO READ: Turkey renews Support for Pakistan

Previous Story

US private sector job growth slows down in May

Next Story

Stockholm+50 calls for ‘real’ commitment to environment

Latest from -Top News

Alps Turn to ‘Swiss Cheese’

Switzerland’s reliance on glacial runoff for hydroelectric power faces growing risk — as glaciers shrink, short-term water flow may rise, but long-term shortages could threaten energy and water supplies. Switzerland’s glaciers —

Burn Notice for Europe

As summer unfolds, Europe is bracing for what may be the first of many extreme heatwaves. Europe braced for its first major heatwave of the northern hemisphere summer on Saturday, with soaring

Budapest Breaks the Ban

Budapest Pride turned from a celebration into a powerful protest against Viktor Orbán’s hardline rule, uniting voices for rights and democracy beyond the LGBTQ+ community. Budapest witnessed one of the largest Pride

Mass Afghan Expulsions from Iran

Between June 18 and June 26, a total of 88,308 undocumented Afghan nationals were forcibly returned from Iran to Afghanistan More than 88,000 undocumented Afghan migrants were deported from Iran in a

Mamdani’s win sparks surge in hate posts

There were at least 127 violent hate-related reports mentioning Mamdani or his campaign in the day after polls closed Anti-Muslim online posts targeting New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani have surged
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Erdogan Picks Former MHP Member as Ankara Mayoral Candidate

The MHP had allied with Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development

Consumer confidence in Finland hits record low in Dec

The figure for December is the weakest since records began