Stockholm loses Ankara's approval for NATO membership

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
23 Jan 21:23

Rasmus Paludan, the head of the extreme-right Danish political group Stram Kurs, burned a copy of the Quran on Saturday after being permitted to by the Swedish authorities.

In this handout photo released by Turkish Presidency, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talks after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 (Turkish Presidency via AP)

Following the anti-Turkish and anti-Islamic actions during the demonstration in front of the Turkish embassy in Sweden on Saturday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Stockholm shouldn't count on Ankara's approval for Sweden's application for NATO membership.

Rasmus Paludan, the head of the extreme-right Danish political group Stram Kurs, burned a copy of the Quran on Saturday after being permitted to by the Swedish authorities. The incident was denounced by the Turkish Foreign Ministry as a "vile attack" on the holy book of Muslims and "another example of the alarming level that Islamophobia and, racist and discriminatory movements have reached in Europe."

The foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates all denounced the burning of the Quraan.

"If you allow such actions, then do not be offended, but you will not receive support from us on the issue of joining NATO. The Swedish leadership should not expect our support," Erdogan said in a speech after the cabinet meeting on Monday.

He emphasized that people who incite such "heresy," as well as those who condone such behavior, must take responsibility for their conduct.

Following the outbreak of the Ukraine war, Sweden applied to join NATO last year. However, their bids for accession require the unanimous approval of all 30 NATO member states to be considered. Hungary and Turkey are the only countries to have not approved the application yet. Turkey's firm denial of Sweden's application for NATO came as a result of the recent deterioration in the diplomatic ties between the two countries over state-condoned anti-Turkish propaganda.