Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan maintains his veto over NATO’s northern expansion even after negotiations with Sweden and Finland. “As long as Tayyip Erdogan is at the head of the Turkish state, we cannot say ‘yes’ to NATO membership of countries that support terrorism,” Erdogan said, according to the Hurriyet newspaper.
Talks with representatives of the two Scandinavian countries did not go as expected on Wednesday, Erdogan said. The countries have not taken the expected steps in the fight against terrorism. Erdogan spoke to Turkish journalists on a return flight from Azerbaijan.
Erdogan demands extradition of ‘terrorists’
Turkey is currently the only NATO member to publicly block the start of the process of admitting the two Nordic countries into the defense alliance. Ankara justifies its position with Finland’s and Sweden’s alleged support for “terrorist organizations” such as the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Ankara also demands the extradition of suspected terrorists from both countries. It is not clear who are the people involved. According to Turkish media, government-critical publisher Ragip Zarakolu, who lives in Sweden, is also on the extradition list.
Regarding a possible new military offensive by Turkey in neighboring Syria, Erdogan said the United States must fulfill its duty in the fight against terrorism. If the US does not fulfill this task, Turkey will take care of it itself. He repeated an oft-uttered threat: the Turkish army could strike suddenly at night.
Turkey has already conducted several military operations in Syria, mainly targeting the Kurdish militia YPG. Erdogan threatened a new offensive in Syria on Monday. The YPG – American ally in the Syrian civil war – sees Ankara as an offshoot of the PKK.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
