The United States has promised that Finland and Sweden are ready to join NATO

America He pointed out on Monday Finland Y Sweden are ready to join the alliance of NATOAfter the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip ErdoganHe argued that Stockholm should not expect support from his country on a membership basis For the burning of Korans during a recent demonstration in the Swedish capital.

“Finland and Sweden are ready to join the alliance. “Because of their military capabilities and the longstanding engagement on security matters that we have maintained (…) for decades,” explained Ned Price, a spokesman for the US State Department. “They are highly developed democracies.”

On the other hand, Price noted, “burning the holy books for many.” This is a deeply disrespectful act“, “Something may be legal – for freedom of association and expression – but horrible”.

“We also know the people behind what happened in Sweden They deliberately try to weaken the unit Across the Atlantic and between our European allies and partners”, the state spokesperson lamented.

In this sense, Price pointed out, though Helsinki and Stockholm are ready to join NATO. “Ultimately, it’s a decision and consensus.” In these countries with Ankara.

Erdogan warned Sweden not to “expect” Turkish support to enter the Atlantic alliance: “If no respect is shown, sorry but no support For our part in the NATO issue,” he declared.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg criticized the president’s approach after the events in Stockholm.

“Freedom of expression is a precious commodity in Sweden and in all other NATO countries. That is why These inappropriate actions are not automatically illegal”, Jens Stoltenberg, in an interview on German television Die Welt, denounced Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance on Sweden.

On Saturday afternoon, as part of a demonstration authorized by Swedish police near the Turkish Embassy, Swedish-Danish far-right Rasmus Palud set fire to Muslim holy bookIn the act of criticizing Swedish negotiations with Ankara in NATO.

The burning of a Koran during a protest last week added to a series of grievances that, in Ankara’s view, were unacceptable. The Turkish government has already protested the destruction of an Erdogan effigy at another earlier rally, which has stalled NATO expansion.

Sweden and Finland depend on the approval of the 30 member states of the Atlantic alliance to join, but now they only have 28 — besides Turkey, Hungary hasn’t completed the procedures. Turkish officials have demanded more responsibilities from the Nordic countries in persecuting Kurdish groups classified as terrorists by Ankara.

(With information from AFP and Europa Press)

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