NATO should not grant FETÖ-linked officers asylum: Turkish Minister

Fikri Işık, the Minister of National Defense, met Jens Stoltenberg, general secretary of NATO, who was in Turkey to attend the 62nd Plenary Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on Sunday evening.

According to ministerial sources, which revealed the information on the meeting Monday morning, Işık said he learnt from the press that FETÖ-affiliated officers had requested asylum in the countries to which they were assigned.

Sources also added that Işık warned Stoltenberg regarding the fugitive officers, seeking asylum: ''Western countries should definitely not approve their requests, otherwise, it would not be acceptable for Turkey,'' said Işık earlier.

Stoltenberg said in his statement last week that some Turkish officers on duty at NATO submitted applications for asylum.

Işık strongly underlined the vitality of this issue for Turkey during the meeting.

Stoltenberg also reportedly said in the meeting, ''I really understood the severity and gravity of the coup attempt when I visited the bombed parliament and so I stand by Turkey in this respect.''