Turkish President Erdoğan Finally Sends Sweden’s NATO Bid To The Turkish Parliament

 

Politico: Erdoğan, at last, sends Sweden’s NATO bid to Turkish parliament  

Sweden welcomes the move, though the length of the Turkish approval process remains unclear. 

BRUSSELS — The Turkish government on Monday submitted Sweden's NATO accession bid to the country's parliament for ratification, ending a months-long guessing game over whether Ankara intended to postpone its approval process further.

"The Protocol on Sweden's NATO Accession was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on October 23, 2023 and referred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey," the presidency posted on social media platform X. 

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hailed the move. Welcome that President Erdoğan signed Sweden’s ratification protocol to NATO and submitted it to the Grand National Assembly of [Turkey]. Parliamentary procedures will now commence. We are looking forward to becoming a member of NATO," his office posted on the same platform.  

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WNU Editor: Hungary is also a hold-out for Sweden to join NATO .... Hungary in the spotlight after Turkey presses on with Sweden’s bid to join NATO (The Hill/AP). 

Turkish President Erdoğan Finally Sends Sweden’s NATO Bid To The Turkish Parliament  

Turkey’s president submits protocol for Sweden’s admission into NATO to parliament for ratification -- AP  

Sweden closer to NATO membership after Erdogan sends accession protocol to Turkish parliament -- CNN  

Turkey’s president submits bill to ratify Sweden’s Nato membership -- The Guardian 

Erdogan Finally Submits Sweden's NATO Bid To Turkish Parliament, With $20BN F-16 Deal Looming -- Zero Hedge

Erdogan Says Turkey Will Support Sweden's NATO Bid If US Approves F-16s

 

DNYUZ/New York Times: Erdogan says Turkey’s parliament will ratify Sweden’s entry into NATO if the U.S. sells Turkey fighter jets. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said in comments reported on Tuesday that Turkey would approve Sweden’s bid to join the NATO military alliance if the United States went ahead with a sale of F-16 fighter jets and related technology to Turkey.

“If they keep their own promises, our parliament will keep the promise given,” Mr. Erdogan told reporters while returning to Turkey from a trip to Azerbaijan.  

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WNU Editor: Eerdogan is always trying to find an angle to benefit his government and country. 

 Erdogan Says Turkey Will Support Sweden's NATO Bid If US Approves F-16s 

Turkey will back Sweden's NATO bid if U.S. keeps promise on F-16 sale -Erdogan -- Reuters  

Turkiye will support Sweden's NATO bid if US commits to F-16 sale: Erdogan -- The Cradle  

Erdogan says Turkey will keep promise on Sweden's NATO bid if US approves F-16s -- Al-Monitor 

Erdogan: Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO bid if US approves F-16 sales to Ankara -- Kyiv Independent

Turkish President Erdogan Continues To Rebuke Sweden's Attempts To Join NATO

 

FOX News: Turkey's Erdogan to Sweden: ‘Don't even bother’ with NATO bid if Quran-burning is allowed  

All NATO members except Turkey and Hungary have signed off on Sweden, Finland joining organization 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Sweden Wednesday to "don’t even bother" with trying to join NATO as long as the European country allows protests desecrating Islam’s holy book. 

Erdogan made the remark in a speech to his ruling party’s legislators as Turkey remains infuriated by a series of demonstrations in Stockholm by activists who have burned the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy and hanged an effigy of Erdogan. 

"Sweden, don't even bother! As long as you allow my holy book, the Quran, to be burned and torn, and you do so together with your security forces, we will not say ‘yes’ to your entry into NATO," Erdogan said, according to The Associated Press.  

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WNU Editor: Sweden is trying to placate Turkey .... Sweden Nears Tighter Terrorism Law as Turkey Stalls NATO Bid (Bloomberg).  

Update: Both Sweden and Finland say they are still committed to joining NATO .... Finland, Sweden Committed to Joint NATO Accession, Prime Ministers Say (Reuters). 

Turkish President Erdogan continues To Rebuke Sweden's Attempts To Join NATO 

Erdogan: Sweden can’t join NATO if Quran-burning is allowed -- AP  

Erdogan says Turkey positive on Finland's NATO bid, not Sweden's -- Reuters 

Turkey's Erdogan again rebukes Sweden over NATO bid -- DW  

Can Turkey's Erdogan decouple Finland's and Sweden's NATO bids? -- Al-Monitor

Turkey Ramps Up Pressure On Sweden And Finland If They Want To Join NATO

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends a ceremony to mark an increase in capacity at a natural gas storage facility in Silivri near Istanbul, Turkey, December 16, 2022. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo  

Reuters: Sweden, Finland must send up to 130 "terrorists" to Turkey for NATO bid 

ANKARA (Reuters) -Sweden and Finland must deport or extradite up to 130 "terrorists" to Turkey before the Turkish parliament will approve their bids to join NATO, President Tayyip Erdogan said. 

The two Nordic states applied last year to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine but their bids must be approved by all 30 NATO member states. 

Turkey and Hungary have yet to endorse the applications. 

Turkey has said Sweden in particular must first take a clearer stance against what it sees as terrorists, mainly Kurdish militants and a group it blames for a 2016 coup attempt.

"We said look, so if you don't hand over your terrorists to us, we can't pass it (approval of the NATO application) through the parliament anyway," Erdogan said in comments late on Sunday, referring to a joint press conference he held with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson last November. 

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Update #1: 'Hand over your terrorists': Turkey ramps up pressure on NATO hopefuls Sweden and Finland (Euronews)  

Update #2: Turkey President Erdogan keeps the world guessing on NATO expansion (Bloomberg)  

WNU Editor: The Swedes continue to be optimistic that Turkey will drop their objections to Sweden joining NATO .... Sweden and Turkey give mixed messages over NATO bid (DW).

Sweden Says It 'Can't Meet' Some Of Turkey's Demands For Its Nato Bid

Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson speaks during the annual Society and Defence Conference in Salen, Sweden, January 8, 2023. TT News Agency/Henrik Montgomery via REUTERS  

Reuters: Sweden Says Turkey Asking Too Much Over NATO Application 

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden is confident that Turkey will approve its application to join the NATO military alliance, but cannot fulfil all the conditions Ankara has set for its support, Sweden's prime minister said on Sunday. 

"Turkey both confirms that we have done what we said we would do, but they also say that they want things that we cannot or do not want to give them," Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a defence think-tank conference in Sweden. 

Finland and Sweden signed a three-way agreement with Turkey in 2022 aimed at overcoming Ankara's objections to their membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 

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Update #1: Turkey 'wants things we can't give', says NATO hopeful Sweden -- Euronews/AFP  

Update #2: Sweden 'can't meet' some of Turkey's demands for Nato bid -- Middle East Eye  

WNU Editor: You can always count on Turkish President Erdogan to throw a monkey wrench in what European governments ar expecting. I still expect Sweden will be admitted into NATO, but Erdogan wants something in return.

Turkey Refuses To Lift It's Veto On Sweden's NATO Membership Application

 

DW: Turkey says Sweden 'not even halfway' to NATO candidacy 

A Swedish court's refusal to extradite a Turkish journalist, wanted for alleged links to the 2016 coup, has soured negotiations over Sweden's NATO ascension. 

Turkey's foreign minister said on Thursday that Sweden was not even "halfway" through fulfilling commitments made to secure Ankara's support for its NATO membership, despite appreciation for the steps thus far taken. 

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu spoke in a press conference with Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom, who is in Ankara on a visit. 

Turkey reached atrilateral agreement with Sweden and Finland last June during the NATO summit in Madrid regarding steps it said the two Nordic countries needed to make to secure its approval for joining the alliance. 

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WNU Editor: Sweden's Foreign Minister is spinning a different story .... Sweden's foreign minister says NATO talks with Turkey progressing well (Reuters). Turkey Refuses 

To Lift It's Veto On Sweden's NATO Membership Application  

NATO: Turkey still refuses to lift veto on Sweden's membership application -- Euronews  

Turkey fumes at Sweden in NATO membership dispute -- France 24  

Sweden still has requirements to meet to join NATO: Turkey -- Al Jazeera

Sweden’s top court blocks extradition of journalist sought by Turkey -- Al-monitor

Turkey Demands Finland And Sweden Extradite 33 'Terrorists' After NATO Deal

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (second from left) has hailed the agreement with Finland and Sweden as a victory [Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Turkish Presidential Press Office/Handout via Reuters]  

Euronews/Reuters: Turkey demands Sweden and Finland extradite 'terrorists' after NATO deal  

Turkey will renew requests for Sweden and Finland to extradite individuals it considers "terrorists" after the countries reached a deal over the Nordic nations' NATO membership bids, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ said on Wednesday.

Turkey had opposed their bids over what it called support for Kurdish militants and others it views as terrorists, as well as over arms embargoes and unfulfilled extradition requests. 

On Tuesday, the three nations signed a deal for Ankara to remove its block, while the candidates pledged not to support the Kurdish militant PKK and YPG groups.  

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WNU editor: I will be very surprised if Finland and Sweden extradites these individuals to Turkey. 

Turkey Demands Finland And Sweden Extradite 33 'Terrorists' After NATO Deal  

Turkey to seek extradition of 33 'terrorists' from Finland, Sweden -- DW  

Turkey seeks extraditions from Finland, Sweden under NATO deal -- AFP  

Turkey to seek extraditions from Finland, Sweden under NATO deal -- Al Jazeera  

NATO deal between Turkey, Sweden and Finland brings home wins for Erdogan — and a possible F-16 breakthrough -- CNBC  

What Turkey won with its NATO leverage -- Atlantic Council  

Swedish and Finnish NATO deal with Turkey triggers fears over Kurdish deportations -- Politico  

EXPLAINER: How was Turkey’s veto of Nordic NATO bid avoided? -- AP

Turkey Threatens To Delay Swedens and Finlands Entry To Nato By One Year

 

The Guardian: Turkey threatens year’s delay to Swedish and Finnish entry to Nato  

Issue may derail alliance summit as Ankara digs in on accusation that Nordic countries harbour terrorists 

Turkey has said it is willing to delay Swedish and Finnish membership of Nato for more than a year unless it receives satisfactory assurances that the two Nordic countries are willing to address support for Kurdish groups it regards as terrorist organisations. 

Finland’s prime minister said on Tuesday that the two nations’ Nato applications could stall if the issue is not resolved before a vital Nato summit due to start in Madrid on 29 June. 

Turkey accuses Sweden and Finland of harbouring alleged members of the Kurdistan Workers’ party (PKK) and also objects to their decisions in 2019 to ban arms exports to Ankara due to Turkey’s military operations in Syria.  

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WNU Editor: It looks like Sweden is caving in to Turkey's demands .... Sweden 'changing' anti-terror laws to address Turkey's NATO complaints (FOX News).