ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey formally submitted Sweden‘s NATO membership software to parliament on Monday, his workplace stated, bringing nearer the doable finish of a 17-month diplomatic standoff.
Turkey and Hungary are the one NATO members but to ratify Sweden’s membership request, which got here after Stockholm dropped its long-standing coverage of non-alignment final yr after Russia launched its warfare on Ukraine.
Erdogan agreed at a NATO summit in Vilnius in July to place the ratification of Sweden’s membership earlier than the Turkish parliament as stress grew on Ankara from companions.
“Sweden’s NATO membership protocol was signed on October 23, 2023, by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and despatched to the Grand Nationwide Meeting of Turkey,” the presidency posted on X, previously Twitter.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson referred to as the announcement “encouraging information”.
“Now it stays for the parliament to take care of the problem,” Kristersson stated, additionally in a publish on X.
“We sit up for turning into a NATO member,” he added.
Sweden’s Nordic neighbour Finland, which utilized to affix NATO on the identical time, was granted membership in April.
Erdogan has put stress on Sweden to take measures over Koran burnings at protests within the nation which have angered many in Muslim nations.
Ankara additionally says Sweden is harbouring outlawed Kurdish militants, and has demanded their extradition.
Turkey and Hungary are the one NATO members but to ratify Sweden’s membership request, which got here after Stockholm dropped its long-standing coverage of non-alignment final yr after Russia launched its warfare on Ukraine.
Erdogan agreed at a NATO summit in Vilnius in July to place the ratification of Sweden’s membership earlier than the Turkish parliament as stress grew on Ankara from companions.
“Sweden’s NATO membership protocol was signed on October 23, 2023, by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and despatched to the Grand Nationwide Meeting of Turkey,” the presidency posted on X, previously Twitter.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson referred to as the announcement “encouraging information”.
“Now it stays for the parliament to take care of the problem,” Kristersson stated, additionally in a publish on X.
“We sit up for turning into a NATO member,” he added.
Sweden’s Nordic neighbour Finland, which utilized to affix NATO on the identical time, was granted membership in April.
Erdogan has put stress on Sweden to take measures over Koran burnings at protests within the nation which have angered many in Muslim nations.
Ankara additionally says Sweden is harbouring outlawed Kurdish militants, and has demanded their extradition.
