Turkey continues to NATO block Sweden

 

Sweden's NATO application Turkey clings to NATO blockade - images of protesters shown 

 

Of: 

 

John Granlund 

 

Published: Today 07.57 

 

NEWS 

 

Turkey's blockade of Sweden's NATO application continues. 

 

At a summit meeting last Friday, President Erdoğan's men gave no indication of when they might accept Sweden's application, according to a government source. 

 

Instead, the Turkish delegation brought photographs from occasions when people waved PKK flags in Sweden. 

 

Turkey continues to keep Sweden and Finland on a leash when it comes to the countries' NATO applications. At a summit last Friday at a conference facility outside Helsinki, Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's "right-hand man", advisor Ibrahim Kalin, along with Sweden's and Finland's chief negotiators, participated. 

 

According to Aftonbladet's government source, Turkey gave no information whatsoever about when the country might approve Sweden's and Finland's NATO applications. 

 

"Be constructive" 

 

Instead, the Turkish delegation brought letters about the various points where the country believes that Sweden has not fulfilled what the countries agreed upon in the settlement from the NATO summit in Madrid in June. 

 

The Turkish delegation also brought photographs from demonstrations in Sweden where PKK flags were waved. 

 

- The meeting was constructive and was held in a good spirit, but the Turkish delegation continued to criticize several points which the Swedish side partly thinks are incorrect. Therefore, these meetings have been partly about clearing up misunderstandings, says the government source. 

 

 

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Photo: Manu Fernandez / AP 

 

According to Aftonbladet's information, it is about the same criticism that Turkey has brought before, that there are demonstrations with PKK flags, that Sweden would not have taken Turkey's list of people who it wants to see extradited seriously, and that Sweden would maintain an arms embargo against the country, despite the Swedish government claiming the opposite. 

 

"Part of the work" 

 

Aftonbladet has unsuccessfully sought Foreign Minister Ann Linde (S) for comments on the meeting last Friday in the association between Turkey, Sweden and Finland, which has been named "Permanent Joint Mechanism". 

 

Just before the meeting last week, she said that more meetings will be held between the countries, probably also in Sweden. 

 

- This is part of the work we are now doing to implement this agreement that we intend to implement, which primarily deals with closer cooperation to fight terrorism, Ann Linde said on Friday last week.

 

 

Ann Linde. Photo: Lotte Fernvall/Aftonbladet 

 

Candid conversations 

 

During the meeting, Sweden was represented by Magdalena Andersson's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Oscar Stenström, who states in a comment for Aftonbladet: 

 

"The focus of the meeting on August 26 was the trilateral agreement concluded in connection with the NATO summit in Madrid in June. The meeting was a first opportunity to discuss how the agreement is followed up and implemented. The discussions with Turkey were constructive and open-hearted. At the meeting, it was agreed to increase cooperation between the countries' law enforcement authorities in accordance with the agreement. The meeting should be seen as part of a deepened, long-term cooperation between Sweden and Turkey. This is important and natural, not least against the background of an upcoming Swedish NATO membership. The government is not commenting further on the exact content of these conversations.”