Turkey NATO -- WEB
Metadata
- Turkey NATO -- WEB
- June 9, 2022
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English TURKEY NATO HEADLINE: Turkey Hardens Stance on Finland, Sweden NATO Bids TEASER: Erdogan accuses both nations of supporting Kurdish rebels; analysts say Turkey using veto to leverage concessions from NATO members, especially US PUBLISHED AT: 6/9/2022, 2:01 BYLINE: Dorian Jones CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Istanbul VIDEOGRAPHER: Berke Bas DO NOT USE NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS, Agencies PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS VIDEO SOURCE (S): Original, AFP, Reuters PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ radio __ TRT: 2:23 VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath TYPE: TVPKG UPDATE:)) ((INTRO)) [[Finland and Sweden's bid to join NATO remains in question ahead of the alliance’s summit this month. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hardening his opposition on their joining, accusing the two countries of supporting terrorists. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.]] ((NARRATOR)) With much fanfare, Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO in May. At the time, the application was seen as a formality, but now the bid is now in jeopardy. ((NARRATOR)) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will veto Sweden's and Finland's applications unless they end what - he says - is their support of the Kurdish rebel group the PKK, which is fighting Turkish forces, and which Ankara considers a terrorist group. ((NARRATOR)) Helsinki and Stockholm deny supporting the PKK. Finnish and Swedish officials say they are trying to address Turkish concerns. [[RADIO VERSION: Asli Aydintasbas is a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.]] ((Asli Aydintasbas, European Council on Foreign Relations - Female in English ON CAMERA-VOA-ORIGINAL)) “The fact is that Turkey does hold a very important card, the veto card. And I think this is not going to be resolved that smoothly.” ((NARRATOR)) The United States and the European Union have also designated the PKK as a terrorist organization. ((NARRATOR)) Erdogan is also calling for nations to stop supporting the Syrian Kurdish group, the YPG, which he says is linked to the PKK. Finland and Sweden and several NATO countries, including the United States, support the YPG, a key ally against the Islamic State militant group in northern Syria. ((NARRATOR)) But President Biden could be the real target of Erdogan's hardening stance over NATO enlargement. [[RADIO VERSION: Soli Ozel is a professor of international relations at Kadir Has University.]] ((Soli Ozel, Kadir Has University - male in English)) “Many people do think that the objections to Finland and Sweden are basically messages to the United States to take Turkey more seriously, to engage with Turkey, and for President Biden to, if you will, to resurrect that personal relation that President Erdogan established with President Trump.” ((NARRATOR)) Unlike his predecessors, Biden - who is critical of Turkey's human rights record - has largely refrained from directly interacting with Erdogan. Instead, analysts say Washington will work around Turkey's veto threat by deploying security forces with other NATO countries to Sweden and Finland, further isolating Turkey. ((NARRATOR)) Experts say the impasse is taking a toll on Turkey’s economy, with the Turkish currency, the Lira, now under added pressure. But analysts say this is a price Erdogan may be ready to pay, aware that appearing to stand up to NATO plays well with his voters. ((Dorian Jones for VOA News Istanbul))
- Transcript/Script TURKEY NATO HEADLINE: Turkey Hardens Stance on Finland, Sweden NATO Bids TEASER: Erdogan accuses both nations of supporting Kurdish rebels; analysts say Turkey using veto to leverage concessions from NATO members, especially US PUBLISHED AT: 6/9/2022, 2:01 BYLINE: Dorian Jones CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Istanbul VIDEOGRAPHER: Berke Bas DO NOT USE NAME FOR SECURITY REASONS, Agencies PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS VIDEO SOURCE (S): Original, AFP, Reuters PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ radio __ TRT: 2:23 VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath TYPE: TVPKG UPDATE:)) ((INTRO)) [[Finland and Sweden's bid to join NATO remains in question ahead of the alliance’s summit this month. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hardening his opposition on their joining, accusing the two countries of supporting terrorists. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.]] ((NARRATOR)) With much fanfare, Sweden and Finland formally applied to join NATO in May. At the time, the application was seen as a formality, but now the bid is now in jeopardy. ((NARRATOR)) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will veto Sweden's and Finland's applications unless they end what - he says - is their support of the Kurdish rebel group the PKK, which is fighting Turkish forces, and which Ankara considers a terrorist group. ((NARRATOR)) Helsinki and Stockholm deny supporting the PKK. Finnish and Swedish officials say they are trying to address Turkish concerns. [[RADIO VERSION: Asli Aydintasbas is a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.]] ((Asli Aydintasbas, European Council on Foreign Relations - Female in English ON CAMERA-VOA-ORIGINAL)) “The fact is that Turkey does hold a very important card, the veto card. And I think this is not going to be resolved that smoothly.” ((NARRATOR)) The United States and the European Union have also designated the PKK as a terrorist organization. ((NARRATOR)) Erdogan is also calling for nations to stop supporting the Syrian Kurdish group, the YPG, which he says is linked to the PKK. Finland and Sweden and several NATO countries, including the United States, support the YPG, a key ally against the Islamic State militant group in northern Syria. ((NARRATOR)) But President Biden could be the real target of Erdogan's hardening stance over NATO enlargement. [[RADIO VERSION: Soli Ozel is a professor of international relations at Kadir Has University.]] ((Soli Ozel, Kadir Has University - male in English)) “Many people do think that the objections to Finland and Sweden are basically messages to the United States to take Turkey more seriously, to engage with Turkey, and for President Biden to, if you will, to resurrect that personal relation that President Erdogan established with President Trump.” ((NARRATOR)) Unlike his predecessors, Biden - who is critical of Turkey's human rights record - has largely refrained from directly interacting with Erdogan. Instead, analysts say Washington will work around Turkey's veto threat by deploying security forces with other NATO countries to Sweden and Finland, further isolating Turkey. ((NARRATOR)) Experts say the impasse is taking a toll on Turkey’s economy, with the Turkish currency, the Lira, now under added pressure. But analysts say this is a price Erdogan may be ready to pay, aware that appearing to stand up to NATO plays well with his voters. ((Dorian Jones for VOA News Istanbul))
- NewsML Media Topics Conflict, War and Peace, Politics
- Topic Tags Turkey NATO
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date June 9, 2022 16:14 EDT
- Description English Finland and Sweden's bid to join NATO remains in question ahead of the alliance’s summit this month. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is hardening his opposition on their joining, accusing the two countries of supporting terrorists. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.]]
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English