The Turkish government on Saturday suggested to Sweden and Finland to meet its demands as soon as possible to lift its veto on the two Nordic countries’ NATO membership given that Turkish elections will be held in less than six months, which could affect the whole process.
Turkish Presidency spokesman Ibrahim Kalin also recalled that the Turkish Parliament, essential to ratify the hypothetical lifting of the veto, could declare a recess a month and a half before the polls. «If they want this to be ratified, I foresee a period of two to three months», he has made known during a meeting with journalists in Istanbul.
The spokesman has applauded Sweden’s efforts to comply with Turkey’s demand to hand over suspected members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) residing in the Nordic country, but lamented that the Swedish government’s reforms to the anti-terrorism law will take six months to come into force.
Last weekend, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Sunday that the Turkish government is imposing a series of demands on his country to join NATO that Sweden is unable and unwilling to meet.
«They want things that we cannot and do not want to give them and now the decision rests with the Turks,» the prime minister said during the People and Defense conference held in Stockholm and reported by the daily ‘Aftonbladet’.
«The same,» the spokesman replied, «they can fulfill this request by other means,» before once again asking Sweden to «prove with actions, and not with words, that the people of the PKK have no place in the country, nor can they collect funds, nor can they recruit sympathizers,» according to statements picked up by Bloomberg.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
