The burning of the Koran in Stockholm was an “anti-human” act that may’t be defended, Numan Kurtulmus says
Sweden’s membership of NATO will stay an unfulfilled dream if the nation continues with provocations and stays reluctant at hand terrorist suspects over to Türkiye, the speaker of the Turkish parliament has warned.
The burning of the Koran by activists in Stockholm final week was “an awfully provocative, anti-Islamic, anti-human motion” that may’t be defended in any manner, Numan Kurtulmus instructed Milliyet newspaper on Monday.
Sweden claims to be a democratic nation the place totally different beliefs and concepts are revered, however this has confirmed to be “unfaithful,” he mentioned.
The truth that Ankara accepted Finland’s software to hitch NATO doesn’t imply the identical factor will occur with the Swedish bid, mentioned the lawmaker.
Stockholm and Helsinki broke with their decades-long coverage of neutrality and utilized to hitch the US-led army alliance final 12 months, citing issues over the battle in Ukraine. Finland turned the thirty first NATO member in April, whereas Türkiye stays against Sweden becoming a member of the bloc.
Ankara has accused Stockholm of being reluctant at hand over “terrorists” from the Kurdistan Staff’ Occasion (PKK) and different related teams, which have been outlawed by the Turkish authorities. The approval of all member states is required for NATO to increase.
“They [Sweden] will have interaction in provocative actions and, on the similar time, ask for approval to hitch NATO. Excuse me, however Türkiye is a rustic that sticks to its phrase. No matter it says, no matter it guarantees, it delivers, however we additionally need others to maintain their phrase. For Sweden, which doesn’t hold its guarantees, anticipating NATO membership is only a pipe dream,” Kurtulmus mentioned.
Nonetheless, he maintained that Türkiye was “not categorically opposed” to Stockholm turning into a member of NATO, however for that to occur “Sweden has to do its personal homework,” he mentioned. “It has to forestall these provocative acts. It has to extradite the ringleaders of the anti-Türkiye terrorist organizations.”
The burning of the Koran had been condemned by Türkiye and different Muslim international locations, whereas protesters overran the Swedish embassy in Iraq. When requested concerning the challenge final week, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg mentioned the act of defacing Islam’s holy ebook was “offensive and objectionable [but] not essentially unlawful.”
The controversy comes forward of this 12 months’s NATO summit, which is scheduled to happen within the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on July 11 and 12.
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