NATO accession: Erdogan makes concrete demands on Sweden and Finland

Created: 05/24/2022, 09:13

The Kurdish autonomous government in northern Syria is appealing to the NATO leadership not to be blackmailed by Erdogan.

• Expansion comes to a standstill:

  Turkey continues to prevent Sweden and Finland from joining NATO.

• Concrete demands:

  President Recep Tayyip Erdogan demands the extradition of 300 people.

• Allegations against Turkey:

  The Turkish army is said to carry out drone attacks in Syria.

Berlin – Turkey continues to prevent Sweden and Finland from joining NATO.

President Erdogan wants concessions from both states for his approval, especially in dealing with Kurds and supporters of the Gülen movement, who have found political asylum in these countries.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is demanding the extradition of a total of 300 people from both countries.

He accuses them of terrorist offenses

Meeting of Erdogan and NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg in Turkey © dpa

The Syrian Kurds are warning the West about Erdogan and his methods.

One should not allow oneself to be blackmailed by Turkey: "We appeal to the international community not to be drawn into Turkey's policy, which aims to control NATO and harm the peoples of the region," said Khaled Davrisch, Representatives of the Kurdish self-government of North and East Syria in Berlin, the daily mirror.

Less humanitarian aid for Kurds in northern Syria

Davrish fears that giving in to Erdogan's demands could reduce humanitarian aid from the West in the crisis region.

The Kurds also fear that the Turkish soldiers could continue to establish themselves in Afrin in Syria.

Drone strikes and arbitrary arrest of Kurds

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in London has repeatedly denounced human rights violations in the region by the Turkish military or jihadist militias allied with them.

There are repeated arbitrary arrests of Kurds and artillery attacks on Kurdish positions and settlement areas.

Turkish drone attacks are particularly feared: "These attacks killed 17 people, including two children and five women," reports the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in London.

(ep)