NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg indicated on Monday that he hopes to welcome Sweden to the Atlantic Alliance “very soon”, following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to submit the request for Stockholm’s accession. the national parliament.
“Welcome Shipping” of Sweden’s accession protocol to the Turkish parliament and “I look forward to the opportunity to welcome Sweden very soon as a full ally of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Western Defense Bloc)”he declared.
“This will make the entire alliance stronger and more secure”Stoltenberg emphasizes.
The Swedish government also welcomed this Monday that Erdogan had initiated procedures to ratify the Scandinavian country’s accession to NATO, after more than a year of blockade.
‘We look forward to joining NATO’wrote the Swedish Prime Minister, the conservative Ulf Kristersson, on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
The head of Swedish diplomacy, Tobias Billström, in turn expressed expectations that the process will be completed by the end of November and that Sweden will be a full member of the Atlantic Alliance when it holds its meeting of foreign ministers. 28th and 29th of this month.
“The Secretary General of NATO reported a few days ago that he assumes that Sweden will be a member of NATO before the meeting of foreign ministers at the end of November, which is the objective”said Billström, quoted by the Swedish news agency TT.
However, the step that Erdogan took on Thursday is the first of three, the Swedish MNO emphasizes.
“Now, [o protocolo de adesão] it goes to parliament to be analyzed and voted on, then goes back to President Erdogan for a final signature, and then it’s done.”he added.
Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said he hoped Hungary – the other country besides Turkey that has not yet ratified Sweden’s membership – would “comply with what was agreed” and approve it before Ankara.
“What Hungary has indicated is that it will not be the last country that will process our request”Jonson stated.
Turkey’s head of state today signed the protocol ratifying Sweden’s accession to NATO – already agreed at the Madrid summit in the summer of last year – and submitted it to parliament for a vote, the communications agency said. Turkish Presidency in Ankara.
Erdogan had indicated in recent weeks that – after months of blockade – he would approve the Nordic country’s accession “if the United States kept its promises”, although he always emphasized that the final decision would rest with parliament, where his party, the AKP (Justice and Development Party), has the majority together with the ultra-nationalist ally MHP (Nationalist Action Party).
The Turkish president, who spoke by phone to NATO’s leader on Saturday, continued to pressure Sweden in recent months to take action against the desecration of the Quran, some copies of which were burned during demonstrations, souring relations between Ankara and Turkey . Stockholm.
Ankara also criticizes Swedish authorities for their perceived softness towards Kurdish rebels seeking refuge on its territory and demands the extradition of dozens of them.
Turkey and Hungary are the only two of NATO’s 31 member states that have not ratified Sweden’s membership. Turkey ratified Finland’s accession on March 30, separating its case from that of its neighbor.
Source: DN
