Turkey is demanding that Sweden extradite a journalist accused by President Erdogan of being a “terrorist” so it can support the Scandinavian country’s bid to join NATO

Sweden’s new prime minister vowed on Tuesday to crack down on “terrorist” threats from Turkey in a bid to win Turkey’s approval for his country’s bid for NATO membership.

But he did not say whether he would be willing to extradite an exiled journalist suspected of staging a coup by the Turkish government.

Turkey has accused Sweden – and to a lesser extent Finland – of ignoring its security concerns, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged the two countries to crack down on what he believes are terrorists.

In particular, Erdogan called on Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to arrest exiled journalist and Erdogan critic Bülent Keneş, who the government says was involved in a failed uprising in 2016, along with supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). to be deported to Turkey.

“My government was elected just a few weeks ago with a mandate to put public order first,” Kristersson said yesterday at a joint press conference with Erdogan.

“This also includes the fight against terrorism and terrorist organizations such as the PKK in Sweden.”

“Therefore, I want to assure all Turks: Sweden will fulfill all commitments made by Turkey to fight the terrorist threat before joining NATO and acting as a future ally,” he said.

Sweden and Finland abandoned long-standing policies of military non-alignment and applied for NATO membership this year after Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February out of fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin would attack them next.

But Turkey, which joined NATO in 1952, has not yet ratified its accession, which required the unanimous approval of existing Allies.

Sweden’s new prime minister vowed on Tuesday to stamp out “terrorist” threats from Turkey in a bid to win Turkey’s approval of his country’s NATO membership.

Turkey has accused Sweden – and to a lesser extent Finland – of ignoring its security concerns, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged the two countries to crack down on what he believes are terrorists.

Members of the former social democratic Swedish government criticized Kristersson’s statements.

Former Minister of Justice, Morgan Johansson, described the new government’s handling of the NATO accession process as “worrying and commendable”.

Kurds in Sweden were also critical. Kurdo Baksi, a Kurdish writer who has lived in Sweden for decades, called Billstrom’s comments disrespectful of the sacrifices Syrian Kurds have made in the fight against the Islamic State group.

About 100,000 Kurds live in Sweden while 15,000 Kurds live in Finland.

Erdogan said he welcomed the new Swedish government’s pledge to honor commitments agreed between Turkey, Sweden and Finland ahead of a NATO summit in June, but said his country wanted to see “concrete steps”.

Erdogan also called Sweden’s decision to lift an arms embargo put in place to fight Kurdish militants following the Turkish invasion of northern Syria in 2019 a “positive step”.

“Sweden wants NATO membership for its own security. We want a Sweden that supports our security concerns to be answered,” Erdogan said.

The Turkish leader said at least four people wanted by Turkey had been deported, but declined to say how many Ankara wanted.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson inspect a military honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) and Sweden’s new Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson address the media after their talks at the presidential palace in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

Mustafa Sentop, speaker of the Turkish parliament, said earlier that Sweden still had “many steps to take” before Turkey’s parliament could approve its NATO membership. Sentop claimed that groups that Ankara considers terrorists are still able to carry out “propaganda, funding and recruitment activities” in Sweden.

Sweden’s new center-right government is cracking down not only on the PKK, but also on the Syrian Kurdish militia YPG and its political wing, the PYD. Turkey considers the YPG to be the Syrian branch of the PKK.

The Swedish foreign minister, Tobias Billström, told Swedish radio that there are close ties between the PKK and the YPG/PYD, which is why Sweden will keep a “distance” from Syrian groups so as not to damage relations with Turkey.

In Syria, PYD spokesman Sama Bakdash accused Turkey of supporting “terrorist groups” in Syria.

“We believe that the Swedish government’s bowing to Turkish blackmail is contrary to the principles and morals of Swedish society and the humanitarian attitude that has characterized Sweden,” she said.

All 30 NATO member states must officially ratify the accession protocol for Finland and Sweden, but the parliaments of Turkey and Hungary have yet to do so.

Last week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Turkey and urged the country to set aside its reservations. He insisted the Nordic neighbors had done enough to allay Ankara’s concerns.