Turkey Cancels Swedish Defense Minister’s Planned Visit to Ankara

Turkey has canceled the Swedish defense minister’s planned visit to Ankara because the Nordic country has given permission to protesters to hold an anti-Turkey demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. 


Turkey’s Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said there was “no point” to Swedish Defense Minister’s Pål Jonson’s January 27 trip because Sweden has not taken any steps to block the “disgusting” anti-Turkey demonstrations in Sweden. 


Sweden is seeking to become a NATO member.  Turkey, a NATO member, has held off ratifying Sweden’s bid to join the alliance because Sweden continues to allow the demonstrations. “Measures should have been taken,” Akar said in a Turkish defense ministry statement. 


Turkey summoned the Swedish ambassador Friday because of the planned protests in Sweden and the planned burning of the Quran during the demonstrations.  


Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.