Why is Turkey causing problems for Finland and Sweden's plans to join NATO? | Analysis by Jomana Karadsheh and Isil Sariyuce
Istanbul, Turkey Just when it seemed like Finland and Sweden's accession into NATO was imminent, Turkey has taken its allies by surprise by throwing a wrench into the works.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he didn't view"positively" the Nordic countries' desire to join the alliance, accusing the two of being"like guesthouses for terror organizations." He told his party lawmakers in Ankara on Wednesday that he expects NATO members to"understand, respect and support" Turkey's security issues.
Turkey could stall Sweden joining NATO. See what PM says about negotiating with them 01:14Erdogan accused the two countries of harboring members of the separatist militant Kurdistan's Workers Party, also known as PKK. The PKK, which seeks an independent state in Turkey, has been in an armed struggle with that country for decades and has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
Finland's president 'not worried' Turkey will block his country's NATO bid 01:26Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said on Saturday that her country, just like the rest of the EU, considered PKK a terrorist organization. The government has said it is ready to iron out any obstacles in talks with Turkey. Ankara has also demanded that Sweden and Finland drop an arms embargo that was slapped on Turkey in 2019 following its military offensive in northeastern Syria.
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