But Fidan said Turkey would still approve Sweden’s entry into the military alliance if Stockholm “does its homework” and goes ahead with efforts to address Turkey’s concerns.
“The fact that the Swedish security system is incapable of avoiding provocations and presents an image of a (country) bringing problems – instead of more power – to NATO makes us reflect on strategic and security aspects,” he said. Fidan at a joint press conference with his Jordanian counterpart.
“As far as Sweden’s NATO membership is concerned, the debate has become more open as to whether it will become a burden or a benefit,” he said.
Sweden and Finland cast aside decades of neutrality and applied to join NATO last year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Turkey has been delaying Sweden’s ratification of the alliance, accusing the Scandinavian country of being too soft on groups Ankara views as threats to its security, including Kurdish extremists and members of a network blamed by the Turkish government for a failed coup. in 2016.
Turkey has also been angered by a series of demonstrations by supporters of the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sweden, as well as Koran burning protests, including one that took place last week on which was condemned by Muslim countries.
The PKK has waged a 38-year insurgency against Turkey that has left tens of thousands dead. The United States and the European Union consider it a terrorist organization.
NATO wants to add Sweden before the alliance rulers hold a meeting on July 11-12 in Lithuania, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has convened a meeting of senior officials from Turkey, Sweden and Finland by July 6 to try to overcome Turkish objections to Swedish accession.
NATO requires the unanimous approval of all current members to expand. Türkiye and Hungary are the only countries that have not yet ratified the Swedish candidacy.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis deplored last week’s protest in which the Koran was burned outside a mosque in central Stockholm, in an interview with the United Arab Emirates’ Al Ittihad newspaper. Swedish police allowed the event to go ahead, on the grounds of free speech, after a court struck down a ban related to a similar Koran burning event.
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Associated Press writers Frances D’Emilio in Rome, Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad, Pakistan contributed to this report.
FUENTE: Associated Press
