Turkish parliamentary committee approves Sweden's accession to Nato
In response to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the traditionally non-aligned Sweden applied for NATO membership together with neighboring Finland in May last year. Finland joined the military alliance in April, while Sweden is still waiting for the approval of member states Turkey and Hungary.
Nato Secretary General Stoltenberg declared on Tuesday that he is now "counting" on Turkey and Hungary to complete the ratification of Sweden's Nato membership "as quickly as possible". Sweden's accession would "strengthen" the defense alliance. "We are looking forward to becoming a member of NATO," declared Swedish Foreign Minister Billström.
Turkey had justified its long hesitation with, among other things, the Swedish authorities' allegedly too lax treatment of suspected PKK members in Sweden. Sweden then promised, among other things, to take tougher action against the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). It was not until July that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan finally agreed to give up his veto.
At the beginning of December, Erdogan then made his country's ratification of Sweden's accession to NATO dependent on the approval of a delivery of F-16 fighter jets by the USA. If Washington made its contribution "simultaneously and in solidarity", the parliament in Ankara would do the same, Erdogan said. He also called for the NATO allies to lift the arms embargoes imposed on Ankara.
The US government is generally open to the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. However, parts of the US Congress are concerned about the human rights situation in Turkey and the tensions between the country and Greece. Erdogan's anti-Israeli rhetoric following the start of the war between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip raised additional concerns in Washington.
The Turkish president had accused Israel of "war crimes". In contrast, he did not see the radical Islamic Hamas as a terrorist organization, but as a "group of liberators" defending their country.
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- The delay in Sweden's NATO accession, due to Turkey's veto, has been a subject of concern for Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
- The Ukrainian conflict has led Sweden, a traditionally non-aligned country, to apply for NATO membership along with Finland, awaiting Turkey and Hungary's approval.
- Finland's Nato membership was ratified in April, but Sweden is still waiting for Turkey's approval, which was recently made contingent on the delivery of F-16 fighter jets from Washington.
- The Turkish parliamentary committee's approval of Sweden's accession to NATO is seen as a crucial step, with Sweden's Foreign Minister Tobias Billström looking forward to Swedish membership.
- Ankara's long hesitation in approving Sweden's accession was reportedly due to Sweden's alleged lax treatment of suspected PKK members, a banned Kurdish organization.
- Hungary, like Turkey, is also yet to ratify Sweden's NATO membership, a process that Nato Secretary General Stoltenberg is urging to be completed as soon as possible.
- In response to Turkey's demands, Washington has expressed an openness to the sale of F-16 fighter jets, although parts of the US Congress have raised concerns over human rights situations and tensions with Greece.
- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had initially accused Israel of committing war crimes in the Gaza Strip, which did not see Hamas, a radical Islamic group, as a terrorist organization but a "group of liberators".
- Hungary, like Turkey, has yet to ratify Sweden's Nato membership, a process that is crucial for the strengthening of NATO's defense alliance, as declared by Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Source: www.stern.de
