Kristersson says Turkey has made demands it is impossible for them to meet, even if these are set as conditions for them to approve Sweden’s NATO application. – Turkey has confirmed that we have done what we said we would do, but they also say that they want things that we do not want to give, said Kristersson during a conference there – Turkey mentions named individuals that they want to see extradited by Sweden. Then we have said time and time again that all such questions violate Swedish law and international conventions. Kristersson still says that he is convinced that Turkey will ratify Sweden’s application in the long term. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg was present during Kristersson’s speech. Photo: TT NEWS AGENCY / Reuters Turkey and Hungary are the only NATO countries that have not yet formally approved the applications for membership from Sweden and Finland. Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, the debate started in the two countries about applying for membership in NATO. They submitted their applications on 18 May last year. Hungary has always promised to agree, and that this should happen early in 2023. Turkey has said that it is mainly Sweden that is the problem, and may still be willing to approve the Finnish application even if Sweden does not meet the requirement. Has refused to extradite journalist Journalist Bülent Kenes is one of 70 persons that the country has demanded extradited, if it is to approve the Swedish application. Towards the end of last year, Sweden said no. Turkish authorities believe Kenes has supported the Gülen movement, which they claim was behind an attempted coup in 2016. Journalist Bülent Kenes is one of 70 people that Turkey is demanding extradited from Sweden. Photo: JONATHAN NACKSTRAND / AFP At the time he was editor of the English-language newspaper Today’s Zaman, which was closed after the attempt. Kenes moved to Sweden the same year, and was granted political asylum. He has also applied for a permanent residence permit. In December, the Swedish Supreme Court decided that the debts that Turkey directs against Kenes do not qualify as a breach of Swedish law. The court also believes that there is a clear risk that he will be persecuted because of his political position, if he is extradited to Turkey. The conclusion was therefore that the extradition could not take place. From the Turkish side, it has been hinted that a vote on Sweden’s NATO application may in any case be postponed until after the parliamentary elections in Turkey on 18 June this year. When asked if this will still be the case, Kristersson replied: – Impossible to know.
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– Turkey wants things that we do not want to give – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
