President Erdogan uncomfortable by Biden's F-16 statement: Greek press
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements made after the G-20 Leaders Summit in India were widely covered in the world press. Greek newspaper Kathimerini, one of the media organizations that highlighted Erdogan's statements on F-16 and Sweden, used the title ‘Erdogan uncomfortable with Biden's F-16 approach’.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held meetings with leaders of many countries at the G20 Leaders Summit In India's New Delhi. Turkish President, who also held a meeting with United States (US) President Joe Biden, made important statements at the press conference he organized on the last day of the Summit and was widely reported in the world press.
The Turkish president stated that the F-16 procurement was also discussed during his meeting with Biden.
"We met with Biden. Unfortunately, they want us to approve Sweden's membership on the F-16 issue. This approach upsets us. I have only one answer, you call everything congress. I also have a congress. Unless such a decision is passed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly, I cannot say anything. I am not in a position to decide on my own. I have to wait for the decision of my parliament," Erdogan said.
Erdogan's statement that Sweden should do its part in NATO membership was widely covered in the world press.
Kathimerini, one of the most important daily newspapers in Greece, published a news article titled "Erdogan is disturbed by Biden's approach to the F-16 issue" and stated the following; "President Erdogan said on Sunday that the administration of US President Joe Biden linked the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye with Ankara's approval of Sweden's candidacy for NATO membership, which "disturbed" Ankara "very much." In.gr, on the other hand, ran the headline "Erdogan: Biden continues to link the F-16 issue to Sweden".
SWEDISH PRESS REMINDED OF COMMITMENTS
Svenska Dagbladet, one of Sweden's well-established newspapers, published the headline "Erdogan: Sweden must fulfill its commitments".
"It is not yet certain whether Türkiye will approve Sweden's NATO membership. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan regrets that the country's plans to buy fighter jets from the United States are linked to Sweden's membership," the news said.
"NATO's demands on Türkiye are not over yet. At a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in India, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Sweden 'must fulfill its promises' in order for the membership to be approved," Sweden-based Dagensps said.
'USA BRINGS SWEDEN TO AGENDA'
Qatar-based Al Jazeera television reminded that Ankara had requested F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits in October 2021, and quoted Erdogan as saying, "Unfortunately, on the F-16 issue, friends keep bringing up Sweden. Such an approach seriously upsets us."
Greek Ethnos daily wrote the headline as "Erdogan: I talked to Biden about F-16s - Sweden must fulfill its obligations".
In the news article, it was stated that Erdogan regretted that the F-16 issue was linked to Sweden. Proto Thema, on the other hand, made the following assessment; "As Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed after the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Biden links the F-16 sale issue to Sweden's NATO membership."
"Erdogan said the approval of Sweden's application depended on the decision of the Turkish parliament, not on him individually," Al-Monitor reported, adding, "Türkiye is seriously upset that Washington has linked F-16 sales to Sweden's NATO membership."
Reuters reported President Erdogan's remarks emphasizing that Sweden's NATO membership and F-16 procurement should be handled separately.
While the normalization efforts between Türkiye and Egypt continued, the meeting between Erdogan and Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi at the Summit did not escape the attention of the world press. "The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and energy cooperation between their countries," Arab News reported.
"Erdogan met with Egypt's Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the G20 Summit in New Delhi," the Times of India reported.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera announced the meeting on its live blog with the headline "Erdogan and Sisi held a private meeting".
Source: Newsroom
