Erdogan tells Sweden not to expect Nato bid support

Sweden should not expect Turkey to backmost its Nato rank bid, Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan said connected Monday, days aft a copy of the Quran was burned successful a Stockholm protest.

Sweden applied to articulation Nato aft Russia invaded Ukraine - but needs Turkey, already a member, to approve.

Kurdish protesters successful Sweden hung an effigy of Mr Erdogan this month, followed by the Quran burning.

"Sweden should not expect enactment from america for Nato," Erdogan said successful response.

"It is wide that those who caused specified a disgrace successful beforehand of our country's embassy tin nary longer expect immoderate benevolence from america regarding their application."

Saturday's protestation - but not the burning of the publication itself - was fixed anterior support by Swedish authorities.

Erdogan condemned the protest, carried retired by a far-right person from a Danish party, arsenic blasphemy not to beryllium defended by escaped speech.

The Swedish governments besides criticised the protest.

"Sweden has a far-reaching state of expression, but it does not connote that the Swedish government, oregon myself, enactment the opinions expressed," Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said connected Saturday.

Responding to Mr Erdogan's remarks connected Monday, Mr Billstrom said that helium wanted to recognize precisely what the Turkish person said earlier commenting.

"Sweden volition respect the statement that exists betwixt Sweden, Finland and Turkey regarding our Nato membership," helium added.

Sweden, on with Finland, applied to articulation Nato aft Russia invaded Ukraine, but the caller protests person heightened tensions.

Nato's caput wide Jens Stoltenberg said that state of look was a "precious commodity" successful Nato countries, and that these acts, portion inappropriate, were not "automatically illegal".

Turkey, a bulk Muslim country, denounced the Swedish government's determination to let the protestation arsenic "completely unacceptable".

"No 1 has the close to humiliate the saints," said Mr Erdogan successful his televised remarks connected Monday.

"When we accidental something, we accidental it honestly, and erstwhile idiosyncratic dishonours us, we enactment them successful their place."

Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey cancelled a sojourn by his Swedish counterpart Pal Jonson aft "observing that nary measures were taken implicit the... disgusting protests".

A flurry of earlier visits by Sweden's apical ministers to Turkey's superior Ankara raised hopes the travel could easiness objections to Sweden's accession.

As Turkey is already a Nato member, it tin artifact different state from joining, and has made respective demands of Sweden already. That includes the extradition of immoderate Kurds that it claims are terrorists.

Earlier this month, the Swedish premier curate said Kurdish protesters successful Stockholm who hung an effigy of Turkey's president from a lamppost were trying to sabotage Sweden's Nato application.

A Swedish curate branded the stunt arsenic "deplorable", but Turkey said the condemnation was not enough.