Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says the Sweden remains the “centre of attraction” of the Fetullah terrorist organization and that Stockholm has yet to take action regarding the extradition of terrorist-related criminals and the freezing of terrorist assets.
The terrorist groups PKK and FETO are not only a threat for Türkiye but also for other countries, says Cavusoglu.
(AA)
Sweden has taken no concrete steps to address Turkey’s security concerns, Turkey’s foreign minister said.
“There are no concrete developments regarding the extradition of terrorist-related criminals and the freezing of terrorist assets,” Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a press conference with his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom in the capital Ankara on Thursday.
Cavusoglu said Sweden remains a “centre of attraction” for the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the failed 2016 coup in Türkiye.
“We welcome the extradition of a person who is not on our list. This week, the request for the extradition of a member of FETO to our country was rejected by the Swedish Supreme Court, which is a very negative development,” the minister said.
The terrorist groups PKK and FETO are not only a threat to Türkiye but also to other countries, he added.
Finland and Sweden formally applied to join NATO in May, abandoning decades of military non-alignment, a decision spurred by the war in Russia once morest Ukraine.
But Turkey, a NATO member for more than 70 years, objected, accusing the two countries of tolerating and supporting terrorist groups.
Last June, Turkey and the two Nordic countries signed a memorandum at a NATO summit to address Ankara’s legitimate security concerns, paving the way for their eventual membership in the alliance. .
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Turkey demands “concrete measures” from Sweden and Finland on extradition
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during a press conference with his Swedish counterpart:
– No concrete developments on the extradition of terrorists, Turkey is waiting for additional measures from Sweden and Finland.
– Sweden continues to be a center of attraction for FETO members. pic.twitter.com/m96jZFKgVj– TRT World (@fr.palestinaliberation.com) December 22, 2022
Fight once morest terrorism
“We don’t want the impossible, we ask for your support in the fight once morest terrorism. Our relationship with you is at the level of strategic partnership, we want you to understand the security concerns of the country you want to be an ally of,” Cavusoglu said.
He added that if the countries are to become NATO allies, Türkiye must see “concrete cooperation.” »
“The Turkish people and our parliament must be convinced. Türkiye will provide all kinds of support in the steps you take in this direction,” Cavusoglu said.
Turkey sees and appreciates the political will of the new Swedish government to further develop its relations with Ankara, he stressed.
Turkey also noted the “positive” steps taken by Sweden, Cavusoglu said, adding: “…they are making changes in their constitution. Statements that (export) restrictions on defense industry products have been lifted are extremely positive. »
Billstrom, for his part, said Sweden is keeping its promises and taking the trilateral agreement “seriously. »
“We have initiated measures on each paragraph and we will continue to implement them. We have increased our legal cooperation with Turkey regarding suspected terrorists,” Billstrom said.
The minister pointed out that the ministries of justice and the intelligence services of the two countries are working in this regard.
“We have taken concrete steps to meet our commitments,” he said, adding that NATO membership for Sweden and Finland will be beneficial for the latter.
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Türkiye: Terrorist propaganda continues in Sweden and Finland
Source: fr.palestinaliberation.com and agencies
