ISTANBUL: Sweden has come under fire from Turkey for allegedly failing to enforce laws against "terrorist" organizations and suppressing their "propaganda" as part of a deal to win Ankara's approval to join NATO But has arrived.
An anti-Islam activist was allowed to burn a copy of the Quran near the Turkish embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, sparking a recent diplomatic row.
Turkey's foreign ministry issued a statement saying, "We condemn in the strongest terms this heinous attack on our holy book." It is completely unacceptable to allow this anti-Islamic act targeting Muslims in the name of "freedom of expression" and defaming our sacred values.
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At a small rally in Stockholm on Saturday, anti-Islam activist Rasmus Paludan, a Danish-Swedish lawyer and leader of the right-wing 'Stram Kurs' (Hard Line) party in Denmark, set fire to a copy of 'Kur'. with permission and heavy police protection, despite attempts by authorities to distance themselves from the provocative stunt.
Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said that although there is "broad freedom of expression" in his country, it does not mean that I or the Swedish government agree with the views expressed.
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Stating that "declaring to be bound by commitments ... and implementing them are two different matters," Turkey's foreign ministry condemned the demonstration, saying it was "in violation of the Tripartite Memorandum on the Prevention of Propaganda". an open breach of Sweden's commitment under" terrorist organizations. ,
Fahrettin Altun, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's top press aide, continued, "Swedish authorities must wake up to the reality of terrorist groups, which are sabotaging their relations with us in order to prevent Sweden from joining NATO."
A three-way agreement was signed by Sweden, Finland and Turkey last June with Turkey to address Ankara's concerns about support for "terrorism" and limits on arms sales.
Both Nordic nations vowed to condemn and extradite to Ankara those it has accused of terrorism, particularly those allegedly linked to the PKK and other banned organizations.
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Turkey and Hungary are currently the only two nations in the US-led alliance that have not formally supported Sweden's NATO application. Relations between Ankara and Stockholm were already strained after the most recent incident after a group of protesters tossed an effigy of Erdogan from a bridge near Stockholm City Hall last week.
Swedish Defense Minister Páll Jónsson's scheduled visit to Ankara on 27 January had to be canceled due to a diplomatic dispute. The Turkish counterpart, Hulusi Akar, said the meeting was "neither important, nor meaningful" "at this point."