Turkiye, Sweden, and Finland to Discuss Sweden NATO Bid: Updates and Implications

 

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Turkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Image Credit: Google

Turkiye, Sweden, and Finland are scheduled to convene this month to discuss Sweden's bid to join NATO.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has remained unsuccessful in his attempts to convince Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during their meeting in Istanbul on Sunday.

Stoltenberg's visit to Turkiye coincided with Erdogan's inauguration ceremony on Saturday.

He also met with Turkiye's new foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, who replaces Mevlut Cavusoglu and is a former director of the National Intelligence Organization.

Legitimate Security Concerns Raised by Turkiye:

Addressing the press on Sunday, Stoltenberg acknowledged Turkiye's legitimate security concerns, highlighting that no other ally has experienced as many terrorist attacks as Turkiye.

He further acknowledged Sweden's efforts to address Turkiye's concerns, including amending its constitution, lifting the arms embargo, and intensifying counterterrorism collaboration, particularly against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Sweden's Compliance with Obligations:

Stoltenberg affirmed that Sweden has fulfilled its obligations, leading to the perception that they have taken significant steps to address Turkiye's concerns.

Ankara's Objections and Accusations:

Turkiye has voiced its objections to Sweden's NATO membership and has accused the country of being a "safe haven" for "terrorists."

 Turkiye has also issued extradition requests, some of which Sweden has accepted, while others have been declined.

Trilateral Agreement and Finland's Membership:

During the NATO summit in Madrid last June, Turkiye, Sweden, and Finland signed a trilateral agreement.

The agreement stipulated that Turkiye would support the NATO membership of the two Nordic countries if certain conditions were met.

Finland joined NATO in April after its membership was ratified by the Turkish Parliament in March.

Remaining Hurdles and Protests:

Besides Turkiye, Hungary is another NATO member yet to ratify Sweden's membership.

The criteria to add fresh member includes the agreement of all 31 members. So, all of them must agree for Sweden to become a member.

In Stockholm, hundreds of people took to the streets to protest against Sweden's NATO bid and its recently implemented anti-terror law.

The protesters displayed PKK flags and signs reading,

"No to NATO."

Turkish Authorities' Concerns:

Last week, Turkiye called on Swedish authorities to prevent a scheduled demonstration titled "No to NATO, No Erdogan Laws in Sweden," organized by groups affiliated with the PKK.

A spokesman for the Turkish presidency deemed it "completely unacceptable" that PKK terrorists operate freely in Sweden.

Upcoming Meetings and NATO Summit:

Stoltenberg and Erdogan agreed to reconvene the permanent joint mechanism established in June.

They scheduled the meeting for the week starting June 12. Furthermore, NATO defense ministers are set to meet in Brussels on June 15 and 16.

The next NATO summit will take place on July 11-12 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Potential US Support and Trade Deals:

US President Joe Biden expressed confidence in Sweden's NATO membership prospects and mentioned ongoing negotiations with Erdogan regarding F-16 fighter jets.

Biden revealed his desire to reach a deal with Sweden and Turkiye, indicating possible US support for Sweden's accession.

Potential Incentives for Erdogan:

Luigi Scazzieri, a senior research fellow at the Center for European Reform, suggests that Erdogan may require tangible benefits in exchange for lifting the veto.

These benefits could include an invitation to the White House and the finalization of the F-16 purchase, which has faced opposition from some members of the US Congress.

Future Scenarios:

If a deal between the US and Turkiye cannot be reached before the NATO Vilnius summit in July, tensions between Turkiye and its Western allies are likely to escalate, warns Scazzieri.

(Courtesy: China Daily)