10:53 PM
Friday, January 20, 2023
Ankara – (dpa):
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Sweden’s ambassador to Ankara and told him “its condemnation in the strongest terms of allowing his country’s authorities to burn a copy of the Holy Qur’an in front of the Ankara embassy in Stockholm,” according to Anadolu Agency reported today, Friday.
The agency quoted what it described as diplomatic sources as saying that the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the Swedish ambassador, Staffan Herstrom, today “against information that his country’s authorities allowed the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur’an tomorrow, Saturday, near the Ankara embassy in Stockholm.”
According to the sources, the ministry assured Ambassador Herstrom of its “strongest condemnation of this provocative act, which clearly amounts to hate crimes.”
The ministry stressed its “rejection of Sweden’s position on this act, and that Turkey is waiting for the relevant authorities not to allow its practice.”
It also informed Herstrom that “insulting sacred values is indefensible under the guise of democratic rights.”
On the other hand, the ministry warned the Swedish side that the propaganda activities that circles linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist organization are preparing to carry out in Stockholm on Saturday; “a flagrant violation” of the Tripartite Memorandum.
On June 28, Turkey, Sweden and Finland signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding regarding the accession of the latter two countries to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization “NATO” after they pledged to respond to Ankara’s demands regarding cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
