Turkey condemns the burning of the Koran.. and cancels the visit of the Swedish Defense Minister
Sweden: Anti-Islam provocations are unacceptable and appalling
Sweden's foreign minister describes the anti-Islamic provocations as appalling.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said on Saturday that anti-Islam provocations were appalling, after a far-right activist burned a copy of the Koran near the Turkish embassy, amid protests over Sweden's bid to join NATO.
"Sweden has far-reaching freedom of expression, but that does not mean that the government or I myself support the extremist views that are expressed," Billstrom added on Twitter.
In Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "We condemn in the strongest terms this despicable attack on the Holy Qur'an... Allowing this anti-Islamic act, which targets Muslims and insults our sacred values under the cover of freedom of expression, is totally unacceptable."
The Turkish Foreign Ministry urged Sweden to take necessary measures against the perpetrators.
Earlier on Saturday, Turkey said that due to a lack of measures to curb protests, it had canceled a planned visit by the Swedish defense minister to Ankara.
"At this stage, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Johnson's visit to Turkey on January 27 has become meaningless. That is why we canceled the visit," Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said.
Akar said he discussed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the lack of measures to curb protests in Sweden against Turkey and conveyed Ankara's response to Johnson on the sidelines of the defense contact group meeting on Ukraine.
"It is unacceptable that no step or response was taken in the face of these protests. Necessary measures should have been taken," Akar said, according to a statement from the Turkish Defense Ministry.
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