Turkey eyes ‘concrete steps’ from Sweden
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The extradition of an exiled Turkish journalist from Stockholm to Ankara is a key demand for Turkey to allow Sweden bid for NATO.
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Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (Reuters)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday that Turkey expects “not kind words but concrete steps” to address its security concerns from Sweden and Finland, in reference to Ankara's desire for PKK members' extradition.
As there is nothing more to say regarding Turkey’s demands, Cavusoglu stated at a joint news conference with his Gambian counterpart Mamadou Tangara that "concrete steps must be taken from now on," regarding the extradition of suspects, the freezing of terrorist assets, and the cessation of terrorist activities.
A "particularly unfortunate event," according to Cavusoglu, is Sweden's refusal to extradite Bulent Kenes, a suspect in an alleged terrorist attack, to Turkey.
On Monday, Sweden's highest court denied Turkey's plea for the extradition of Kenes, a wanted suspect Turkey deems a "terrorist" who resides in Sweden, ruling that he was ineligible for extradition because he had not yet received a jail sentence of one year or more.
Former ZAMAN daily editor-in-chief Bulent Kenes is accused of being engaged in the 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The exiled journalist is the only individual named by Erdogan, among hundreds of persons Ankara wants to be extradited in exchange for Sweden's membership bid to NATO.
One request vs. a long list of conditions
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 28, 2022
While #Turkey had a long list of conditions from #Finland and #Sweden, all the two Nordic states wanted was to join #NATO.
Here's your guide to understanding on what basis the agreement was made. pic.twitter.com/Aw7Jtu7frp
Kenes has been taking refuge in Sweden since 2017, and his extradition is scheduled to be decided by the Swedish Supreme Court before the end of this year.
