By Nevzat devranoglu and Ali Kucukgocmen

ANKARA (Reuters). President Tayyip Erdoan said Wednesday that Sweden cannot expect Turkey’s approval of its NATO bid, and that Turkey must not return terrorists. The Swedish and Finnish delegations shouldn’t come to Turkey to get support for their NATO membership.

The U.S.-led NATO was formed earlier by Sweden and Finland, which were motivated by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. It is expected that the process of accession will take just a few weeks, despite Turkey’s protests.

Ankara claims that Finland and Sweden harbour terrorists. This includes the Kurdistan Workers Party militant group, and Fethullah-Gulen followers. Ankara also accuses them of orchestrating an attempted coup in 2016.

Erdogan stated that his party, the ruling AK Party, is sensitive to protecting borders against terrorists.

Erdogan claimed that NATO allies never supported Turkey against Kurdish militants, such as the Syrian Kurdish YPG. Ankara considers it a terrorist organisation closely connected to the PKK.

He said, “NATO expansion only has meaning for us when we are treated with respect for our sensitivities.”

TRT Haber, Turkish state broadcaster, stated Monday that Sweden and Finland did not approve Turkey’s request to repatriate 33 individuals.

You won’t return terrorists, but you want us to join NATO. NATO is an entity that provides security and an organization to provide security. “We cannot affirm that this security agency is deprived of security.” Erdogan declared.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that he believed the success of Sweden’s and Finland’s bids to NATO membership would prove successful. Biden replied to a reporter asking how he could convince Ankara not to oppose the bids of Sweden and Finland to join NATO.

The Turkish presidency reported that Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan’s chief foreign advisor, had called with counterparts from the United States, Finland and Sweden. Kalin indicated that the Nordic country’s NATO bid can only progress if there is a solid approach to addressing Turkey’s national security issues.

On Wednesday, in New York, the issue will be raised at a meeting between Mevlut Cavrusoglu, Turkish Foreign Minister and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Erdogan accused NATO allies also of supporting terrorists. He cited their arms delivery for the YPG as a major source of dispute between Ankara, Washington and other Western countries.

Ankara’s plans for a northern Syria safe zone received very little international support in 2019. This includes the settlement of 1 million Syrians within northeast Syria which Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies seized over from the YPG.

Erdogan urged NATO members not only to help Turkey in its legitimate, but also “moral”, operations in Syria.

Erdogan also stated that Turkey will oppose any NATO bids made by those who have imposed sanctions against Ankara. Following the 2019 incursion by Turkey against Syria, Sweden and Finland have banned Turkey’s arms exports.

Kalin said Saturday that Turkey is not closing the door on Sweden or Finland joining NATO. However, he wanted negotiations to end terrorist activity and demanded a clampdown.