2023-07-10 23:11:23
Time.news – “I am pleased to announce that after the meeting I hosted with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Swedish premier, Ulf Kristersson, President Erdogan agreed to forward Sweden’s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly as soon as possible and ensure its ratification. This is a historic step that makes all NATO allies stronger and safer”. NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg wrote in a tweet.
Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with @RTErdogan & @SwedishPMPresident Erdogan has agreed to forward #Sweden‘s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification. This is an historic step which makes all #NATO Allies stronger & safer. pic.twitter.com/D7OeR5Vgba
— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) July 10, 2023
The protocol for the ratification of Sweden’s entry will be submitted to the Turkish Parliament “in a short time”, Turkish sources said; and it also passes through “the reinvigoration” of Ankara’s EU accession process; accession for which the new agreement provides for ‘active support’ from Stockholm. In fact, Sweden will not only support Ankara’s entry into the EU, but is also committed to the enlargement of the Customs Union to include Turkey and the liberalization of visas.
Stockholm government he gave ample assurances that no form of support for Kurdish separatists will be guaranteed of the PKK and YPG, but also to eliminate any type of trade barrier or sanctions against Turkey.
Stoltenberg’s satisfaction
“This is a historic day because we have a clear commitment from Turkey to send the ratification documents (for Sweden’s NATO membership) to the Grand National Assembly (Turkish Parliament) and to work closely with the assembly to ensure ratification,” Stoltenberg explained; although he stressed that he does not know the exact deadlines by which Turkey will ratify entry. As for Hungary, which has not yet ratified Sweden’s entry, Stoltenberg recalled that Budapest had given assurances in the past that it would not be the last country to give the go-ahead.
Officially, Turkey had so far blocked Sweden’s accession to NATO, believing that the Scandinavian country had too lax a position towards the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the PKK guerrilla group which in 1984 began an armed struggle against the Turkish state and is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, Sweden, the European Union and the United States.
In the wake of Turkish pressure, Sweden has reformed its anti-terrorism legislation and made it a criminal offense to simply belong to or support, financially or otherwise, the terrorist organization. In the last week, tension had returned to the stars due to the burning of the Koran, burned in front of the largest mosque in Stockholm.
But rapprochement with the EU has evidently satisfied Erdogan. “Good news from Vilnius”, exulted the president of the European Council, Charles Michel. Sweden and Finland changed the position of neutrality they maintained for three decades after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and then applied to join NATO. Meanwhile, last April, Finland became the 31st member of the Alliance.
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