Until Protest Stop In Stockholm, Turkey Won’t Favour Sweden’s NATO Membership Bid Says Erdogan

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Sweden shouldn’t anticipate a change in Ankara’s stance on its NATO membership bid at the Western alliance’s summit next month unless it stops anti-Turkey protests in Stockholm.

Erdogan told reporters on Tuesday that Turkey cannot approach Sweden’s NATO bid favourably while “terrorists” are protesting in Stockholm. He further added that after discussions with Swedish officials in Ankara on Wednesday, Turkey’s stance on this would be made clear.

Erdogan made his remarks before representatives from Turkey, Sweden, Finland, and NATO on Wednesday in Ankara for discussions aimed at resolving Turkish concerns that have delayed Sweden’s NATO membership bid.

Tensions between Turkey and Sweden were recently exacerbated by a protest against Turkey and NATO that took place in Stockholm last month and involved the projection of the flag of the PKK militant organisation, which is illegal in both Turkey and the EU.

Commenting on Sweden’s recent legal changes Erdogan said, “This is not only a matter of a law amendment or a constitutional change. What is the job of the police? They should prevent these (protests)”.

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