Turkey agrees to unblock Sweden’s NATO membership bid after months of deadlock

On tenth July, Turkey agreed to welcome Sweden into the NATO army alliance fold. An announcement was made by NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg on Twitter on the ongoing Vilnius Summit in Lithuania.

Gen Secy Stoltenberg wrote, “Glad to announce that after the meeting I hosted with @RTErdogan & @SwedishPM, President Erdogan has agreed to forward #Sweden’s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & ensure ratification.”

Glad to announce that after the assembly I hosted with @RTErdogan & @SwedishPM, President Erdogan has agreed to ahead #Sweden’s accession protocol to the Grand National Assembly ASAP & guarantee ratification. This is an historic step which makes all #NATO Allies stronger & safer. pic.twitter.com/D7OeR5Vgba

— Jens Stoltenberg (@jensstoltenberg) July 10, 2023

Stoltenberg referred to as the event a historic step “which makes all NATO allies stronger and safer”. The announcement got here following a trilateral assembly between Jens Stoltenberg, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

While Erdogan has agreed to push for the ratification of Sweden’s bid within the Turkish parliament, there’s not a particular time interval offered for a similar.

The announcement got here following a trilateral assembly between Jens Stoltenberg, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Sweden Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (Image supply: Reuters)

US President Joe Biden issued an announcement following the event and stated, “I welcome the statement issued by Türkiye, Sweden and the NATO Secretary General this evening, including the commitment by President Erdoğan to transmit the Accession Protocol for Sweden to Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly for swift ratification.”

The Swedish PM stated he was “very happy” and that it was a “good day for Sweden”. Notably, the event comes amid elevated tensions between the 2 international locations over the Quran-burning episode in Stockholm.

Terms of Agreement between Sweden and Turkey

As per their settlement, Sweden will current a “roadmap as the basis of its continued fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations towards the full implementation of all elements of the Trilateral Memorandum”. Sweden reiterated that it’s going to not present help to YPG/PYD, and the organisation described as FETÖ (Fethullahist Terrorist Organization) in Turkey .

Both Sweden and Turkey agreed that counter-terrorism cooperation is a long-term effort, which can proceed past Sweden’s accession to NATO.

Sweden and Turkey have additionally agreed to step up financial cooperation, by means of the Turkey -Sweden Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO). Both Turkey and Sweden will look to maximise alternatives to extend bilateral commerce and investments.

On this foundation, as per the settlement, Turkey will transmit the Accession Protocol for Sweden to the Grand National Assembly, and work intently with the Assembly to make sure ratification.

Why was Erdogan reluctant to approve Sweden’s bid to hitch NATO?

NATO is a army alliance of nations in Europe and North America consisting of 31 member states, all of whom are required to approve for membership of a brand new nation.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sweden utilized for NATO membership in 2022 which was blocked by Turkey and Hungary.

One of the factors of competition between Turkey and Sweden was the arms embargo by the latter on the previous after Turkey invaded Syria in 2019. This was resolved in an settlement signed between the 2 in 2022 in Madrid that Turkey would raise the veto in trade for lifting the embargo.

Another stalemate was over the protests in opposition to Erdogan’s authorities by sure teams in Sweden. “This is not only a matter of a law amendment or a constitutional change. What is the job of the police there? They have legal and constitutional rights, they should exercise their rights. The police should prevent these [protests],” Erdogan reportedly stated.

Turkey’s overseas minister Hakan Fidan had expressed his issues following the burning of the Quran exterior a mosque in Stockholm. He stated that Swedish authorities’ failure to forestall the Quran-burning protests is elevating safety issues and questions on Sweden’s credentials for NATO membership.

Erdogan had additionally despatched a give-and-take message calling for Turkey’s EU membership in trade for Sweden’s NATO membership. Earlier, Turkey had additionally blocked Finland’s membership try and was the final to approve it.