“FULFIL COMMITMENTS”
Sweden tightened its anti-terrorism laws in response to Turkish strain, and Erdogan lifted his objections to Sweden’s utility at a NATO summit in July, whereas pushing for concessions from the USA.
Erdogan made Türkiye’s ratification of Sweden’s utility conditional on the US Congress “concurrently” approving Ankara’s request for 40 F-16 jets and spare elements.
Regardless that the US administration has promised to maneuver ahead with the sale, its approval has met resistance from Congress.
Turkish International Minister Hakan Fidan mentioned Sweden’s NATO membership in a telephone name with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, a diplomatic supply stated, a day after the protocol was greenlighted by the parliament committee.
Fidan informed Blinken that Türkiye now expects the US administration and Congress to “to behave in step 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 finish their ratifications “as quickly as doable”.
Because the parliament might be in two-weeks recess, a timetable additionally “is dependent upon the negotiations with the People”, one other parliamentary supply informed AFP.
