Turkey summons Swedish chief of mission over 'terrorist propaganda' in Stockholm
Turkey's foreign ministry summoned the Swedish embassy's chief of mission in Ankara to convey its "strong reaction" to what it called "terrorist propaganda" during a Kurdish group's protest in Stockholm, diplomatic sources said.
Finland and Sweden have applied for Nato membership in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but were faced with opposition from Turkey, which accused them of supporting groups Ankara deems terrorists.
The three countries signed an accord last month to lift Ankara's veto in exchange for promises on counter-terrorism and arms exports.
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday renewed his threat to "freeze" the membership bids of both Sweden and Finland unless the military alliance complies with Ankara's conditions.
In his comments, he said it was important to "particularly note that Sweden does not have a good image on this issue".
A 10-point memorandum signed by the three sides on the sidelines of a Nato summit at the end of June appeared to address many of Erdogan's concerns. Turkish officials say they will seek the extradition of 33 "terror" suspects from Sweden and Finland as part of the agreement, although the deal did not include specific references to extradition.
Turkish dissidents in Sweden have expressed their fears that the deal might lead to their extradition.
The 33 individuals named by Turkey are all accused of being either outlawed Kurdish militants or members of a group led by the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey blames for a failed 2016 coup.
Yet Erdogan told reporters after the summit that the new memorandum did not mean Turkey would automatically approve the two countries' membership.
"If they fulfil their duties, we will send it to the parliament. If they are not fulfilled, it is out of the question," he said at the time.
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