Turkey has 'legitimate concerns' over terrorism, says Stoltenberg

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that Turkey has “legitimate concerns” over terrorism and other issues that need to be taken seriously.

Turkey has accused Finland and Sweden of supporting Kurdish militants and says it will not back their applications to join NATO until they change their policies.

Turkey wants restrictions on arms exports lifted and the extradition of members of certain Kurdish organisations, including terrorist group PKK, which are opposed to Erdogan’s government.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Sunday, Stoltenberg noted that “no other NATO ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkey” and pointed to its strategic geographic location with Iraq and Syria.

Stoltenberg stressed: “These are legitimate concerns. This is about terrorism, it’s about weapons exports.

"We have to address the security concerns of all allies, including Turkish concerns about the terrorist group PKK.

“When a vital key ally as Turkey raises concerns on terrorism then of course we have to sit down and take them seriously. And that’s exactly what we do,”