Sweden and Finland must hand over some 130 suspected terrorists to Turkey in order for Ankara to accept the Nordic nations' applications to join the Nato alliance, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sunday.
Speaking to Yle's Radio Suomi on Monday morning, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Green) said that the Turkish President's latest statements are likely a reaction to the display of an Erdoğan effigy outside Stockholm City Hall last week.
News agency Reuters reported (siirryt toiseen palveluun) that Turkey summoned Sweden's ambassador about the incident.
"This was certainly a reaction, I think, to the events of the last few days," Haavisto said.
The foreign minister added that Turkey has not sent Finland an updated extradition list.
Turkish Foreign Minister to visit US
Haavisto also noted that Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will visit the United States this week.
The visit is likely to include discussions about the possible sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, as the Wall Street Journal has reported the US might use such a deal as an incentive for Turkey to ratify Finland and Sweden as Nato members.
"I think this could be one part of the untying of the knot, if this US deal goes through," Havisto said, adding that there is an "atmosphere" in the US that Nato enlargement should be a condition for any such deal.
"Let's see what we hear from Washington," Haavisto said.