Türkiye on Wednesday strongly condemned “heinous attacks” on the Muslim holy e-book Quran, stated the nation’s National Security Council, calling them “manifestations of anti-Islamic racism.”
In a press release launched after a three-hour assembly of the National Security Council underneath the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan within the capital Ankara, the council stated: “The heinous attacks, which are a manifestation of anti-Islamic racism and target the sacred values of billions of people, have been strongly condemned.”
The assertion got here after Edwin Wagensveld, a far-right Dutch politician and the chief of the Islamophobic group Pegida, on Sunday tore out pages from a duplicate of the Quran in The Hague. Wagensveld’s video on Twitter confirmed that he burned the torn-out pages of the holy e-book in a pan.
It adopted a protest in entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Saturday, which included the burning of a duplicate of the Quran with each police safety and permission from the Swedish authorities.
Those who encourage and shield actions that “undermine values such as freedom of religion, conscience, and thought are partners in hate crime,” the assertion additionally stated.
On Monday, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom reiterated that his authorities didn’t help the burning of holy scriptures but additionally claimed that freedom of expression “makes it legal from a Swedish point of view.”
Highlighting Türkiye’s willpower to help the open-door coverage of NATO, the Turkish National Security Council stated: “Countries willing to join NATO must act in accordance with the law and spirit of the alliance.”
It is “imperative for Sweden and Finland to fulfill obligations under the June 2022 trilateral memorandum in fighting terror groups with concrete steps,” it added.
Criticizing Greece for its provocative actions and rhetoric and armament efforts, the assertion additionally famous that Türkiye is not going to enable “any fait accompli” concentrating on its nationwide safety and pursuits.
Sweden and Finland formally utilized to affix NATO in May final yr, abandoning a long time of navy non-alignment, a choice spurred by Russia’s battle on Ukraine.
But Türkiye-a NATO member for greater than 70 years-voiced objections, accusing the 2 international locations of tolerating and even supporting terror teams, together with the PKK.
Last June, Türkiye and the 2 Nordic international locations signed a memorandum to handle Ankara’s authentic safety issues, paving the way in which for his or her eventual membership within the alliance.
