Swedish FM to visit Turkey, discussing NATO bid: Ankara
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Sweden’s foreign minister will visit Turkey on Thursday to discuss with Turkish officials the Nordic country’s bid to enter NATO, announced the Turkish foreign ministry on Wednesday. The trip comes days after Stockholm blocked the extradition of a journalist to Ankara.
The Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement that Sweden foreign minister Tobias Bilistrom and his Turkish counterpart will discuss bilateral relations and “Sweden’s NATO membership process as well as regional and international developments.”
Bilistrom’s office is yet to confirm the visit.
Sweden and Finland made bids to enter NATO after Russia launched a major military offensive against Ukraine in February. Both Scandinavian countries were already close partners of NATO but by joining it they would gain the support of 30 member countries if attacked by their foe, Russia, or any other country. The military alliance makes its decisions by consensus, meaning that both countries require the blessing of all 30 countries. Only Turkey refused to vote for the bids.
Sweden and Finland signed a deal with Turkey in June, accepting most of the country’s demands in return for their NATO membership. This includes the extradition of a long list of people wanted by Turkey for terror-related charges, including many Kurds.
Stockholm earlier this month extradited a Kurdish refugee, Mahmut Tat, to Turkey for his alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
However, a Swedish court on Monday blocked the extradition of a Turkish journalist, Bulent Kenes, to Turkey despite being previously mentioned by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as one of the wanted people. This move angered Ankara.
Kenes is accused by Ankara of being a member of a movement which the Turkish government claims was behind the failed coup attempt against Erdogan in 2016.
The Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement that Sweden foreign minister Tobias Bilistrom and his Turkish counterpart will discuss bilateral relations and “Sweden’s NATO membership process as well as regional and international developments.”
Bilistrom’s office is yet to confirm the visit.
Sweden and Finland made bids to enter NATO after Russia launched a major military offensive against Ukraine in February. Both Scandinavian countries were already close partners of NATO but by joining it they would gain the support of 30 member countries if attacked by their foe, Russia, or any other country. The military alliance makes its decisions by consensus, meaning that both countries require the blessing of all 30 countries. Only Turkey refused to vote for the bids.
Sweden and Finland signed a deal with Turkey in June, accepting most of the country’s demands in return for their NATO membership. This includes the extradition of a long list of people wanted by Turkey for terror-related charges, including many Kurds.
Stockholm earlier this month extradited a Kurdish refugee, Mahmut Tat, to Turkey for his alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
However, a Swedish court on Monday blocked the extradition of a Turkish journalist, Bulent Kenes, to Turkey despite being previously mentioned by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as one of the wanted people. This move angered Ankara.
Kenes is accused by Ankara of being a member of a movement which the Turkish government claims was behind the failed coup attempt against Erdogan in 2016.