Erdogan’s green light for Sweden to join – L’Express

“The protocol for Sweden’s accession to NATO was signed on October 23, 2023 by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and referred to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey,” said the presidency in a message published on the social network (ex-Twitter).

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson welcomed “good news” on X: “It is now up to Parliament to deal with the issue. We look forward to becoming a member of NATO.” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he hoped to welcome Sweden into the Atlantic Alliance “very soon”, a membership which he said would make it “stronger and more secure”.

In July, President Erdogan lifted his veto on Sweden’s accession to the Alliance, specifying however that the final decision would be taken by the Turkish parliament, which resumed its work on October 1 after their summer suspension.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who spoke by telephone on Saturday with the head of NATO, has continued in recent months to put pressure on Sweden to take measures against the desecrations of the Koran which have soured relations between Ankara and Stockholm. At the same time, Turkey criticizes the Swedish authorities for their alleged leniency towards Kurdish activists who have taken refuge on their soil and is demanding the extradition of dozens of them.

Along with Hungary, Turkey is the last of the 31 NATO member states not to have ratified Sweden’s membership. Ankara validated Finland’s entry on March 30, dissociating its case from that of its Swedish neighbor.

The United States welcomed this decision on Monday, hoping that it would now be done “as quickly as possible”.

“This decision is welcome,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters, saying he hoped membership would be approved quickly by the Turkish parliament.