Türkiye cannot support Sweden's NATO membership bid, top diplomat says

Türkiye cannot support Sweden's NATO membership bid under the current circumstances. If Stockholm honors its commitments, Ankara will be ready to discuss the issue again.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made the statement at a joint press conference with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjártó in Budapest on January 31, Anadolu Agency reports.

The Turkish minister recalled that the idea of creating NATO was initially based on the issue of ensuring the security of all member states of the military-political bloc. "Therefore, all candidate states, including Sweden and Finland, should take Ankara's security position into account," Cavusoglu stressed.

He recalled that Türkiye is now among the top five contributors to NATO missions, as well as one of the eight nations in terms of contributions to the Alliance's budget.

"Members of terrorist structures such as the PKK and the bloody Fethullah Gulen organisation are active in Sweden. Terrorist accomplices are engaged in propaganda and fundraising, in effect financing terrorism. We are aware of the security priorities of Sweden and Finland, and we expect the same approach from the two Nordic countries," the Turkish minister said.

The Turkish diplomatic chief drew attention to the anti-Turkish actions of supporters of the YPG/PKK terrorist organisation as well as anti-Islamic provocations in Stockholm.

He noted that NATO was in favour of discussing the two Scandinavian countries' bids simultaneously. "If, however, the position is reconsidered and advocated to view the issues separately, I can say that Ankara is more positive about Helsinki joining the NATO bloc. Finland has similar laws to Sweden, but unlike Stockholm, Helsinki does not sanction the burning of the Quran. Dislike for Christianity and Islam is equally criminal. This is a crime against humanity," the minister said.

For his part, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said it was unacceptable to insult people's religious feelings, including by burning holy books.