Erdogan: Turkey will not approve Sweden’s entry into NATO before October

Türkiye will not ratify the entry of Sweden in the NATO before October, he affirmed today in Vilnius the Turkish president, the conservative Islamist Recep Tayyip Erdoganafter participating in the summit of the Atlantic Alliance.

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“I don’t know when it will happen, but the Parliament is on recess (summer break)”, said the president in a press conference broadcast live by several Turkish televisions.

erdoğan stressed at the same time that before the Turkish ratification arrives, he hopes to see that Stockholm gives “concrete steps” in his fight against the members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and other people who Ankara considered terrorists.

When Members return in October, they will also have to examine in the Parliament “many other international agreements and many legislative proposals would have to be discussed”he explained.

Of course, he assured that the objective of his Government is “complete this process as soon as possible”.

The President of Parliamentyou will probably agree that this arrangement (from the income of Sweden in the NATO) has priority over other international agreements.” stated erdoğan.

The integration of Sweden as a full member of the Atlantic Alliance requires the ratification of the Parliaments of the 31 partners, a step that has already been taken by all except Türkiye and Hungary.

Ankara blocked the process for more than a year, alleging that Stockholm gives refuge toterrorists”, referring above all to members of the PKKthe Kurdish guerrilla in Türkiyealso considered terrorists by USA and the European Union (EU).

But it also hopes that the Nordic country will fight the Kurdish militias YPG, which it also considers terrorists due to its close ties to the PKK, although they are allies of Washington and other Western countries in the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group.

erdoğan today reiterated its criticism of governments that support the YPGaccusing them of maintaining a “distorted relationship” that “undermines the unity and integrity of the alliance”.

In this context, he asked that “do not discriminate between terrorist organizations” and “fight against islamophobia”.

Regarding the Swedish aspiration, the Turkish president said that he is confident that Stockholm will take some steps in the direction demanded by Ankara.

“We have identified the steps to follow in relation to the accession process of Sweden. Sweden will present a roadmap (…) I think we will see concrete steps from Sweden”he pointed.

Last Monday, the general secretary of the NATOJens Stoltenberg, announced that erdoğan had agreed to transmit the protocol of accession of Sweden to the Turkish Parliament “as soon as possible”.

That announcement made in Vilnius on the eve of the summit of the NATO and after a meeting stoltenberg with erdoğan and the Swedish Prime Minister, ulf kristessonraised the expectation that Turkey could give its green light in a matter of weeks.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.