NATO should focus on determining common enemies, Turkish communications director says

By Yildiz Nevin Gundogmus

ANKARA (AA) - NATO should focus on determining common enemies, Türkiye's communications director said on Tuesday, urging the security alliance to show the same sincerity to every member state's security concerns.

"Today's global threats are much more complex ... it is of great importance for NATO to be able to increase solidarity and cohesion by taking into account the security concerns of its member states," Fahrettin Altun told a panel discussion titled NATO In The 21st Century: Challenges, Partnerships and Enlargement in the capital Ankara.

"The importance of the indivisibility of security within the alliance must be clearly understood, and in this direction, a joint fight against terrorism must be carried out," he said.

Commenting on Sweden and Finland's NATO bids, Altun said their admission could be a threat to the bloc's future unless they take "a clear position on the fight against terrorism."

It is out of the question for Türkiye to approach membership bids of the countries positively unless they take a "sufficiently determined position on the terrorist organization," he said, referring to the PKK.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of at least 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

Sweden, along with Finland, formally applied to join NATO on May 18, a decision spurred by Russia's war on Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.

But Türkiye, a longstanding member of the alliance, has voiced objections to their membership bids, criticizing the countries for tolerating and even supporting terror groups such as the PKK, and FETO, which was behind the 2016 defeated coup in Türkiye. The accession requires unanimous approval of all 30 NATO member states.

Türkiye's stance regarding the NATO expansion is related to both the bloc's future in principle, and the country's security sensitivities, he said, adding: "Our country has traditionally supported NATO expansion."