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Updated January 24th, 2023 at 07:10 IST

Turkey President Erdogan threatens to withdraw support for Sweden's NATO bid

In view of the anti-Turkish and anti-Islamic actions taken by Sweden, Turkey will not support Stockholm's entry into NATO, said the Turkish President.

Reported by: Amrit Burman
Sweden
Image: AP | Image:self
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In view of the anti-Turkish and anti-Islamic actions taken by Sweden, Turkey will not support Stockholm's entry into NATO, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday. This development came after Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the far-right Danish political party Stram Kurs, burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

The act was condemned by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, which called the act a "vile attack" on the holy book and "another example of the alarming level that Islamophobia and other racist and discriminatory movements have reached in Europe," reported Sputnik.

Also, countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates condemned the burning of the Quran. "If you allow such actions, then do not be offended, but you will not receive support from us on the issue of joining NATO. The Swedish leadership should not expect our support," Erdogan said in his address to the nation after the cabinet meeting on Monday. He added that those involved in creating such "heresy," as well as those who allow these actions, will need to answer for their actions.

Turkey to not support Sweden's NATO bid?

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar warned that Ankara could veto Sweden's membership in NATO if Swedish authorities continued to demonstrate the same attitude towards Turkey. "If things go this way, our attitude will be very clear and precise," said Akar. He further stressed that Paludan's action was a violation of the tripartite memorandum, which Sweden signed to prevent the propaganda of terrorist organisations.

Last May, when Ukraine and Finland handed over their applications for joining NATO, Sweden also applied for the same. Initially, Turkey blocked the start of consideration of these applications, but on June 29, Turkey, Sweden, and Finland signed a trilateral security agreement considering Ankara's concerns. Earlier on January 15, Erdogan had said that Finland and Sweden must extradite 130 terrorists to Turkey if they wanted Ankara's support for their NATO bids.

Furthermore, Turkey unilaterally cancelled the upcoming visit of Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson to Ankara, where the two leaders were supposed to discuss Sweden's NATO membership application.

Image: AP

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Published January 24th, 2023 at 07:10 IST

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