Atlanta, United States (CNN) – After his meeting with US President Joe Biden, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his frustration, Sunday, regarding the approach taken to bring up Sweden’s membership in NATO when discussing the potential sale of F-16 aircraft. To Ankara, according to Turkish official media.
Erdogan held a press conference after the G20 summit in India, saying, “We spoke quickly with Biden. We also discussed the issue of F-16 aircraft,” adding, “Unfortunately, friends continue to raise the issue of Sweden when it comes to F-16 aircraft.” “Such an approach deeply disturbs us,” Turkey’s official Anadolu news agency reported.
Erdogan stated that Sweden’s possible accession to NATO is a matter subject to the discretion of the Turkish Parliament, “and I am not at a stage where I can decide for myself. It must be approved by Parliament. Sweden must fulfill its duties,” Anadolu reported. .
Turkey has agreed to support Sweden’s bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after a year of opposition. Turkey claimed that Sweden allows members of recognized Kurdish terrorist groups to operate on its territory, most notably the armed Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Turkey also accused Swedish officials of complicity in anti-Islamic demonstrations, such as burning the Qur’an.
Turkey ordered F-16 fighter jets and modernization equipment in October 2021, a $6 billion deal that will include the sale of 40 aircraft, in addition to modernization kits for 79 warplanes already in the Turkish Air Force’s inventory, Anadolu reported.
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2023-09-10 19:41:45
