Sweden taking ‘important steps’ to meet Turkiye’s demands: NATO chief

By Trend

Sweden has confirmed its “readiness” and is taking important steps to meet Turkiye’s demands for approving Stockholm’s NATO membership application, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

After decades of military nonalignment, situation in Ukraine pushed Sweden and Finland to apply to join the Western defense alliance in May. But they have faced resistance from Turkiye, which has vetoed their entry into the alliance, citing their support to terrorist groups, including the PKK and its Syrian wing, the YPG.

Addressing a press conference alongside Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Stoltenberg said he was “glad” that the Swedish government has confirmed its “readiness to address Turkiye’s concerns as part of assuming the obligations of future NATO membership.”

He suggested there has been progress in the spat, stressing that NATO was working “hard and actively” together with Stockholm and Ankara to resolve Turkey’s concerns “as soon as possible.”

Stoltenberg said Sweden was showing compromise on two points.

“I welcome that Sweden has already started to change its counter-terrorism legislation and that Sweden will ensure that the legal framework for arms export will reflect the future status as a NATO member with new commitments to allies,” he said during a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson.

“These are two important steps to address concerns that Turkey has raised.”

While the two Nordic countries have said talks would continue to resolve the dispute, Ankara said it had not received any responses to its demands, including stopping support for groups Turkiye considers terrorists, lifting arms embargoes on Ankara and extraditing suspects it seeks.

Any bid to join NATO requires backing from each of its 30 members. Turkiye, which has been a NATO ally for over 70 years, has said it will not change its view unless the Nordic countries take “concrete steps” about its concerns.

For her part, Andersson said Sweden was taking Turkish concerns “very seriously, not least the security concerns when it comes to the fight against terrorism.”

She said Sweden had changed its terrorism laws in the last couple of years and was in the process of further tightening.

“From July 1, we will also have even stronger legislation when it comes to the fight against terrorism. So here there are no questions about how strongly Sweden sees (on) terrorism and that we are willing to contribute to the fight against terrorism,” Andersson said.