The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde, in response to criticism from Ankara, recalled that the kingdom became the first state after Turkey to recognize the working party of Kurdistan (RPK) with a terrorist organization.
“Due to the widespread misinformation about Sweden and the RPK, we would like to recall that the Swedish government of the Enofe Palm the first after Turkey included the RPK in the list of terrorist organizations in 1984. The EU followed this example in 2002 when Anna Lind was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden. This position remains unchanged, ”she wrote on Twitter.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated on May 18 that in Ankara they would not support the adoption of Sweden and Finland in NATO until they determine their attitude to terrorist organizations, in particular to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (RPK). He made a similar statement on May 16, noting that he opposes the entry of Finland and Sweden to NATO in connection with the refusal of these countries to issue Turkey persons involved in the activities of the RPK.