Erdogan opposes Sweden's NATO membership and called on Sweden to "end its political and financial support for terrorist organizations".
Specifically, Recep Tayyip Erdogan today had his first telephone conversation with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson since the start of the open crisis between the two countries, as well as with Finland over their NATO membership.
Erdogan's communication with Swedish Prime Minister
A statement issued after their communication said the Turkish president said he "expects Sweden to take concrete and serious measures, showing that he shares Turkey's concerns about the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) terrorist organization and its branches in Syria and Iraq."
As reported by the state-run Anadolu news agency, the Turkish president also told the Swedish prime minister that the embargo on arms exports imposed on Turkey in 2019 after the Turkish invasion of Syria in October 2019 should be lifted. As noted by Agence France-Presse, the telephone conversation between the two was not scheduled.
Stoltenberg says talks should continue
Meanwhile, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, said he spoke today, Saturday, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the importance of NATO's "open door" with regard to Finland's and Sweden's requests.
Stoltenberg, former prime minister of Norway, said: "We agree that the security concerns of all allies must be taken into account and talks must continue to find a solution."
Contact between Erdogan and the Prime Minister of Finland
In parallel, Erdogan today held "open and direct" talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto today, the latter said, on Helsinki's request for NATO membership. After their phone call, Niinisto posted on Twitter, "I informed him that as NATO allies Finland and Turkey will commit to each other's security and thus our relationship will be strengthened. Finland condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Close dialogue continues."
Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Erdogan told Finnish Prime Minister Niinisto that ignoring the threat of Kurdish militant groups on Turkey's border, is not compatible with the spirit of the NATO alliance
Finland and Sweden have applied to NATO
Recall that Finland and Sweden applied on Wednesday to join NATO following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Turkey surprised NATO allies last week by raising objections to the two countries' membership, but Western leaders have expressed confidence that Ankara's objections will not stand in the way of the two countries' process of joining the alliance.
Ankara claims that Sweden and Finland are harboring individuals linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and supporters of the former imam, self-exiled U.S.-based Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of orchestrating the failed coup in 2016.
Source: iefimerida.gr
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