Sweden distances itself from the Kurdish-Syrian YPG to avoid a conflict with Turkey

Nov. 5 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Swedish Foreign Minister, Tobias Billström, has wanted to distance the Swedish Government from the Kurdish-Syrian militias People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Democratic Union Party (PYD) for considering both organizations “too close” to the Party of the Kurdistan Workers (PKK), an armed organization considered terrorist by Turkey.

“There is too close a connection between these organizations and the PKK, an organization considered terrorist by the EU to be good for our relationship with Turkey,” Billström told Swedish public television STV.

“Sweden must not be a place where it is easy to finance terrorism (…). Above all it is about fighting terrorism and all its activities on Swedish soil, including fundraising. Sweden must be a place against terrorism in any form,” he added.

However, for the leader of the PYD, Salih Muslim, these statements do not imply any change in practice. “We have never had a direct relationship as a party with the Swedish government. Only with Swedish organizations,” he told the Swedish news agency TT.

“I think it is very difficult for Sweden to ignore its human rights principles in the event of a Turkish intervention,” argued the Kurdish leader. “This is just a game. Nothing more”, he has riveted.

These statements come on the eve of the trip to Ankara by the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, who intends to convince the Turkish leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to endorse the entry of Sweden and Finland into NATO. Turkey has expressed its reluctance in this regard, considering that Sweden protects the Kurdish groups it considers terrorists, for which the parties have signed an agreement that should placate Turkey.