On Monday, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Vilnius. Under the leadership of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the two leaders were able to reach an agreement that resulted in Turkey ratifying Sweden’s application to the defense alliance.
These are the points of the agreement:
1. Sweden has changed its constitution, its laws and significantly expanded its counter-terrorism efforts against the PKK in the past year. Sweden has also resumed arms exports to Turkey and these are all steps that were agreed upon during the NATO summit in Madrid last year.
2. Sweden and Turkey agree on continuing cooperation according to the Madrid agreement, and on establishing a new security cooperation at ministerial level. This cooperation, a so-called Security Compact, will be aimed at combating terrorism in various forms. Sweden also undertakes not to offer support to the organizations YPG/PYD and FETO.
3. Both Sweden and Turkey agree that combating terrorism is a long-term effort that extends further in time than Sweden’s application process to NATO. Jens Stoltenberg confirms that NATO categorically condemns terrorism in all forms and that NATO will intensify its work in this area.
4. NATO, Turkey and Sweden recognize the principle that there should be no restrictions, barriers or sanctions against defense trade or investment between allies. If there are any, they must be eliminated.
5. Sweden and Turkey have arrived at that an economic cooperation should be created, where both countries should maximize opportunities to increase trade and investment between themselves.
6. Sweden must actively support Turkey’s attempts to join the EU, contribute to the modernization of the customs union between Turkey and the EU and simplify the visa process for Turkish citizens to the EU.
On the basis of these points and in light of the importance of defending the Euro-Atlantic area, Turkey’s parliament will ratify Sweden’s application to NATO, it says in a press release on NATO’s website.
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