Sweden’s legislative amendments in accordance with a memorandum negotiated in Madrid last year should be implemented, according to Turkey’s foreign minister on Thursday.
Hakan Fidan stated during a press conference following the fifth meeting of a permanent joint mechanism between Turkey, Finland, and Sweden in the Belgian capital Brussels that “it is imperative that countries wishing to join NATO take a firm stand on the fight against terrorism.”
“Sweden has taken steps in terms of legislative changes, but legislative changes need to be reflected in practise.”
Sweden was unable to prevent provocations, he claimed, alluding to the recent destruction of the Quran in Stockholm.
He noted, though, that Turkey fully supports the military alliance’s open-door policy.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom, for his part, stated that progress was achieved at the discussion and that his country anticipates “a positive decision next week.”
Concerning the conviction of a sympathiser of the PKK terrorist organisation by Swedish authorities — a first in the Nordic country — Billstrom called it a “historic decision.”
Billstrom, a 40-year-old man convicted guilty of weapons offences and attempted terror funding, would be deported after serving a four-year jail sentence.
He went on to say that this demonstrated that Sweden took the PKK’s concerns seriously.
Over the course of its more than 40-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK — designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union — has killed over 40,000 people, including women, children, and babies.
The meeting took place before of the NATO leaders’ summit on July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that he, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will meet in Vilnius on the eve of the summit “as the next step in this process.”
Finland and Sweden requested for NATO membership shortly after Russia declared war on Ukraine in February.
Although Turkey has accepted Finland’s membership, it has not ratified Sweden’s candidature, citing Stockholm’s failure to satisfy Turkey’s security concerns.