Sweden is taking “important steps” to meet Turkish demands
On Monday, NATO welcomed what it said were “important steps” on Sweden’s part to respond to Turkish objections that postpone its application to join the military alliance.
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that stricter laws against terrorism and a hint that an arms embargo against Turkey could be lifted were signs that Sweden was willing to take responsibility for NATO membership.
Mr Stoltenberg said he was working to reach a consensus between Turkey, Sweden and co-candidate Finland as soon as possible, but that he would not be consulted on whether this could happen before a summit in Madrid at the end of June.
The two Nordic countries applied to join NATO last month after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent a chill of fear across the Baltic Sea.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who met Stoltenberg at her summer retreat on Monday, said she took Turkey’s concerns about terrorism seriously.
These mainly refer to what Turkey sees as Sweden’s and Finland’s soft attitude towards the PKK, a Kurdish group designated as terrorists by the European Union, and what it says are unfair export restrictions on weapons.
A Swedish government agency decided in 2019 to revoke all licenses for arms exports to Turkey due to the offensive in northern Syria that was ordered that year by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
But Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde told members of parliament last week that membership in NATO “can also change the conditions for the export of defense equipment”, without directly referring to Turkey.
On Monday, Andersson said that Sweden has also emphasized its commitment to fighting terrorism and that stricter legislation on the subject will soon enter into force.
“These are two important steps to address the concerns that Turkey has raised,” said Stoltenberg, who has sought to reach a compromise and has worked hard not to dismiss Ankara’s objections, despite his support for Sweden and Finland.
He said addressing Turkey’s concerns was part of taking on the responsibilities of future NATO membership, ensuring that allies come to the aid of every member attacked.
“By joining NATO, Sweden will receive the formalized, Treaty security guarantees,” he said. “At the same time, Sweden will assume, as all other members assume, the responsibility and obligations to be a NATO ally.”
Glad to host NATO Secretary General @jensstoltenberg at Harpsund today for talks with me and the government. Important discussions on Sweden’s NATO application ahead of the Madrid Summit, including our dialogue with Turkey. pic.twitter.com/bpcDgQAkZY
– SwedishPM (@SwedishPM) June 13, 2022
Sweden turned a page on 200 years of military neutrality to apply for membership, after considering the EU’s newly established defense structures to be insufficient compared to NATO’s US-backed power.
Sweden’s and Finland’s accession must be approved by all 30 existing allies, giving Turkey an effective veto. There have also been doubts about Croatia’s position following a mockery between its president and prime minister.
But Stoltenberg said that it was inconceivable that NATO members would sit back if there was an attack on Sweden during the negotiations. The United Kingdom and the United States have given explicit guarantees of support.
Andersson made a point of referring to Turkey by its elected new moniker, Türkiye, even though she suggested that the Swedish legislation on arms exports had been misinterpreted.
She said she would tell the Madrid summit this month that Sweden had “a lot to offer” the alliance, including a stronger presence in the Baltic Sea region.
Last week, NATO began two weeks of naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with Sweden and Finland as guests, with 7,000 soldiers and 45 warships. Stoltenberg visited Finland this weekend.
Updated: June 13, 2022, 3:31 p.m.