Sweden very serious about fighting terrorism, says former foreign minister

Sweden should be “very thankful” for the contributions the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga and other Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria."
Former Swedish foreign minister Ann Linde speaking to Kurdistan 24 in an interview at 7th Suli Forum in Sulaimani, March 15, 2023. (Kurdistan 24)
Former Swedish foreign minister Ann Linde speaking to Kurdistan 24 in an interview at 7th Suli Forum in Sulaimani, March 15, 2023. (Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Sweden has been very serious about agreeing to Turkey’s demands, and there is no reason for the NATO member to still oppose the Nordic country’s membership to the security consortium, the former foreign minister told Kurdistan 24 on Wednesday.

Ann Linde, who stepped down from the top diplomatic post in October 2022, was interviewed by Kurdistan 24 on the sidelines of the 7th Suli Forum at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS).

“We have stepped up our fight against terrorism, including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), as we consider [it] as a terrorist organization,” Linde told Kurdistan 24, adding there is no reason for the country’s parliament to not ratify the trilateral memorandum of understanding struck between Finland, Turkey and Sweden in June 2022.

Turkey has demanded the two Nordic countries crack down on individuals having ties to the Kurdish militant group and taking part in the 2016 coup.

According to Turkey, Sweden has not done enough to satisfy Turkish requirements to become a NATO member. 

However, “we have been very serious in our fulfilment of the trilateral memorandum,” Linde added.

Fight against ISIS not over

The former Swedish minister said the fight against ISIS continues and those fighting the group have to remain “very vigilant.”

“The fight is still not over  … we still have elements that would like to” spread terror again like Daesh [the Arabic acronym for ISIS], she said.

Sweden should be “very thankful” for the contributions the Kurdistan Region Peshmerga and other Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria (Rojava) have made in the fight against ISIS.

The Scandinavian country has been part of the eighty-five member US-led coalition in the fight against ISIS since 2014.

Linde visited Kurdistan Region in 2022 and met with the Iraq’s Kurdish region top officials, including Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.