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Sweden yet to extradite suspects despite NATO deal, says Turkish FM

July 28, 2022 at 6:17 pm

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara, Turkiye on 27 June 2022 [Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency]

Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, said that Sweden has not yet handed over the suspects who are wanted by Ankara over terror-related charges, despite the signing of a deal between the two countries last month as part of Sweden’s bid to join NATO.

Sweden and Finland had applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but they faced resistance from Turkiye, which expressed concerns that the two countries had imposed arms embargoes related to sales to Turkiye and supported groups that Turkiye designates as terrorist organisations – namely the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK).

However, in late June the three countries signed a memorandum that addressed Turkiye’s concerns.

Ankara expects Sweden to hand over 73 suspects and Finland to hand over tens others.

READ: Erdogan: Syria has become terrorist hotbed