Analysis
Turkey fumes at Quran burning in Sweden ahead of critical NATO talks
As a new protest adds a further layer of stress in NATO talks between Turkey and Sweden, analysts believe that prospects are "close to zero" for the Nordic nation’s accession to the alliance before the bloc’s summit.
ANKARA — Ties between Sweden and Turkey were further strained on Wednesday after a Quran burning protest in Stockholm drew strong backlash from Ankara.
The protest adds a fresh layer of stress to the upcoming talks scheduled for July 6 in a bid to convince Ankara to allow Sweden into NATO. Wedensday also marked Eid al-Adha in the Muslim world.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Twitter, “We denounce the Swedish authorities' assent to ... burn the Quran in front of a mosque on Eid al-Adha. Turning a blind eye to such hideous acts is being complicit in crime.”
Turkish President’s chief foreign policy advisor Akif Cagtay Kilic also lashed out at the incident. “I condemn all the people and institutions that allow this,” he said.
