Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee approves protocol for Sweden's NATO membership
The Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee concluded the discussion on the "Approval of the Protocol on the Accession of the Kingdom of Sweden to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)," which it had deferred without a decision during the November 16 session. Yesterday, on December 26, the committee approved the protocol and referred it to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) for further consideration.
During the vote, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), along with the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), voted "Yes." On the other hand, the İYİ Party and the Felicity Party (Saadet) voted "No." The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the sole member in the Commission, left the meeting and did not cast a vote when the voting started.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström expressed satisfaction with the approval of his country's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in the Turkish Grand National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee.
Vi välkomnar att utrikesutskottet i Turkiet godkänt Sveriges Nato-ansökan. Nästa steg är att parlamentet ska rösta om frågan. Vi ser fram emot att bli medlem i @NATO
— Tobias Billström (@TobiasBillstrom) December 26, 2023
In his message, Billström stated, "We welcome the approval of Sweden's NATO application by the Turkish Foreign Affairs Committee. In the next step, the parliament will vote on the matter. We eagerly anticipate becoming a NATO member."
US welcomes the approval
According to the news report on the issue by the Anadolu Agency, US welcomed the approval of Sweden's NATO membership proposal by the Turkish Grand National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee.
The report also noted that President Biden's explicit support for F-16 sales to Turkey continues.
"Unimaginable legal changes in Sweden"
During the meeting, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Burak Akçapar provided information, stating that they have witnessed Sweden implementing legislative changes that nobody could have imagined five or six years ago. He mentioned, "The expectation that Swedish authorities would immediately fulfill all our requests does not materialize. This is a process, and this process requires long-term and consistent efforts."
In response to a question from CHP İstanbul Deputy Oğuz Kaan Salıcı, Deputy Minister Akçapar mentioned that one of the unimaginable legal changes is Sweden's inclusion of a law that now considers membership in a terrorist organization as a crime. The Deputy Minister stated, "Indeed, as I will explain shortly, we have started to see the practical implications of these changes. For the first time in Swedish history, the reasoning behind a positive decision refers to the new legislation dated July 1, 2022. We are closely monitoring the reflections of legislative changes in practice, and the Swedish side is aware of our sensitivity."
Erdoğan signs Sweden's NATO accession protocol
Parliamentary committee delays decision on Sweden’s NATO entry
Following the completion of the discussions, the Draft Law on the Approval of the Protocol on the Accession of the Kingdom of Sweden to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was approved in the Turkish Grand National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee.
During the vote, AK Party, MHP, and CHP voted "Yes," while İYİ Party and Saadet Party voted "No." Ceylan Akça Copulo, the sole member of the DEM Party, left the meeting and did not cast a vote.
A date has not been specified for when the protocol referred to the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) General Assembly will be put on the agenda.
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(AEK/PE)