NATO Warmly Welcomes Finland-Swedish Registration, President Erdogan: We Hope Allies Understand Turkey's Sensitivity

Presiden Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru/Russian Presidential Executive Office)

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will demonstrate an understanding of Ankara's sensitive issues such as border security and protection.

"NATO is taking steps to expand its eastern wing. We see that in the midst of the Ukraine crisis, one is greeted with a (warm) hug and shown goodwill," President Erdogan said, quoted by TASS, May 19.

"As a NATO ally, we have been fighting terrorism for many years, but have not seen such an attitude towards us. We hope our allies understand our sensitivities, to respect and perhaps support us," he continued.

The Turkish president claims that Ankara has no claim to foreign territory, but it is very important for the country to maintain national security.

"We have no claim to foreign territory. We are determined to eradicate the origins of what poses a threat to our security," the president said, referring to Turkey's military operations against Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria.

"Don't our NATO partners channel weapons and ammunition to terrorist organizations whose activities target Turkey?" asked the president rhetorically.

President Erdogan has repeatedly criticized NATO for its refusal to help fight Kurdish separatists near the Turkish border.

As previously reported, Sweden and Finland's desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) met another obstacle, as the Turkish president said he would not agree to either.

Sweden and Finland need each of the 30 NATO members to approve their applications. The ratification process is expected to take up to a year, despite Turkish objections.

At a press conference on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sweden and Finland should not bother sending delegations to Ankara to persuade Turkey to support their offer.

"None of these countries have a clear and open attitude towards terrorist organizations," President Erdogan said, cited from Reuters.

"How can we trust them?" he continued.

Turkey surprised its NATO allies last week by saying it would not view their application in a positive light, particularly citing their history of accepting members of groups deemed terrorists by Ankara.

President Erdoan reiterated Turkey will not accept their offer to join NATO, calling Sweden a "hatching ground" for terrorist organizations, and adding that it has terrorists in its parliament.

President Erdoan further said NATO would become 'a place where representatives of terrorist organizations are concentrated', if the two countries joined forces.

Ankara says Sweden and Finland are hosting people it says are linked to groups it considers terrorists, namely the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and followers of Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt.