“FULFIL COMMITMENTS”
Sweden tightened its anti-terrorism legislation in response to Turkish pressure, and Erdogan lifted his objections to Sweden’s application at a NATO summit in July, while pushing for concessions from the United States.
Erdogan made Türkiye’s ratification of Sweden’s application conditional on the US Congress “simultaneously” approving Ankara’s request for 40 F-16 jets and spare parts.
Even though the US administration has promised to move forward with the sale, its approval has met resistance from Congress.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed Sweden’s NATO membership in a phone call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, a diplomatic source said, a day after the protocol was greenlighted by the parliament committee.
Fidan told Blinken that Türkiye now expects the US administration and Congress to “to act in line with the spirit of alliance and to fulfil the commitments made” with regard to the F-16s.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg hailed the parliamentary committee’s approval of Sweden’s NATO bid, urging Türkiye and fellow holdout Hungary to complete their ratifications “as soon as possible”.
As the parliament will be in two-weeks recess, a timetable also “depends on the negotiations with the Americans”, another parliamentary source told AFP.
Source: CNA
