Turkey can still "freeze" the membership of Sweden and Finland in NATO if the two countries do not take steps that meet Ankara's security requirements, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said today.
Last month, Turkey withdrew its objection to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance, but warned it would block the process if they failed to extradite suspects linked to outlawed Kurdish groups or the network of an exiled cleric accused of masterminding the failed coup.
The admission of the Nordic countries has yet to be approved by the parliaments of all 30 NATO members, and the Turkish parliament could refuse to ratify the agreement.
"I would like to remind once again that if these countries do not take the necessary steps to meet our conditions, we will freeze the accession process. Our position on this issue is very clear. The rest is up to them," Erdogan said.
Sweden and Finland did not immediately respond to Erdogan's comments.
Turkey accuses the two countries of being too lenient towards groups it considers threats to national security.
Turkey's justice minister said earlier this month that the government had renewed extradition requests for terror suspects sought by his country.
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