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Turkiye has suffered at the hands of the PKK, its concerns should be taken seriously, says Stoltenberg

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General

14 June 2022 13:56 (UTC +04:00)

"Turkiye has legitimate concerns, which all Allies should take seriously," in an exclusive interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, APA reports.

"The decisions by Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership are historic, and their membership will strengthen our Alliance. Now we have to address the security concerns of all Allies, including Türkiye’s serious concerns about the terrorist group PKK, and find a united way forward. Turkiye has suffered grievously at the hands of the PKK, and has suffered more from terrorism than any other ally has. So Turkiye has legitimate concerns, which all Allies should take seriously.

My staff and I remain in close dialogue with representatives of Turkiye, Finland, and Sweden in order to address Turkish concerns and move forward on Finnish and Swedish accession.

The security of Finland and Sweden matters to NATO, and many Allies have already made clear commitments to their security," stressed Secretary-General.