Sweden cleared a hurdle to joining NATO on Tuesday when Turkish lawmakers backed the non-aligned country’s membership in the military pact after delaying the decision for more than a year.
Lawmakers ratified Sweden’s accession protocol by 287 votes to 55, with four officials not voting, leaving Hungary the only NATO ally that has not yet backed the Scandinavian country’s entry.
“Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson posted on X.
Turkey previously accused the country of being too soft on groups Turkish leaders considered security threats, including Kurdish militants and members of a network Turkey blames for a failed coup in 2016.
Turkey was also angered by rallies filled with supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Koran-burning protests in Sweden.
Before Tuesday’s vote, the Turkish parliament’s foreign affairs committee approved Sweden’s membership last month.
Turkish lawmakers on Tuesday backed Sweden’s membership in NATO, removing a major obstacle to the previously non-aligned country’s entry into the military alliance. AP
Sweden has amended its anti-terrorism laws and curbed the PKK’s financial activities, Fuat Oktay, a senior lawmaker in Erdogan’s ruling party and head of parliament’s foreign affairs committee, told parliament.
Sweden also convicted one suspect of alleged money laundering and terrorist financing and extradited another suspect, while lifting restrictions on arms sales to Turkey, he added.
“PKK-affiliated circles no longer find comfortable room for maneuver in Sweden as they did in the past,” Oktay said.
Turkey’s main opposition party also backed Sweden, although a center-right party and the country’s pro-Kurdish party opposed welcoming a new ally.
Turkish lawmakers from the left-wing Toplumsal Ozgurluk or Social Freedom Party and Sosyalist Dayanisma Platformu or Socialist Solidarity Platform hold signs that say in Turkish: “No to occupation, no to war for NATO!” . AP
“Sweden’s measures regarding the extradition of wanted criminals or the fight against terrorism remain limited and insufficient,” Good Party lawmaker Musavat Dervisoglu told parliament.
Erdogan has linked the ratification to the United States’ approval of a Turkish request to buy 40 new F-16 fighter jets and kits to modernize the country’s existing fleet.
While President Biden never formally linked the arms sale to Turkey’s support for Sweden, numerous senior members of Congress have made clear that they would not support the sale unless and until Turkey approved Sweden’s accession to the alliance.
The sale of the F-16 fighter jets is expected to move forward quickly, according to White House officials.
Turkish lawmakers vote in favor of Sweden’s attempt to join NATO in the Turkish Parliament. AP
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Sweden is “more than ready to become a NATO ally.”
“It is time for Sweden to become a NATO ally,” Kirby added.
“They have a modern and advanced army, with which we feel very comfortable. And they will add really significant military capabilities to the alliance.”
People shout slogans during a protest against Sweden’s NATO membership called by the Turkish Vatan, or Patriotic Party, in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. AP
Sweden and Finland sought NATO membership after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Finland became NATO’s 31st member in April.
Now Sweden needs to one-up Hungary, which has accused Swedish politicians of spewing “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungarian democracy.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Tuesday that he sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, inviting him to Budapest to discuss Sweden and NATO.
NATO needs all allied countries to agree to expand their membership.
With post cables
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Source: vtt.edu.vn