Türkiye’s approval of Sweden’s NATO bid depends on Stockholm: Erdogan

Ankara, The Gulf Observer: The decision on Sweden’s NATO membership will be made by the Turkish parliament, which monitors Stockholm’s actions, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters, media reports citing TASS.

“The process of sending Sweden’s NATO membership protocol to the parliament and the process of its approval is directly related to Sweden’s fulfillment of its obligations. The decision will have to be made by the parliament, how much it will be discussed in commissions, how long this process will take, we do not know. First of all, Sweden has to control the streets of Stockholm. If they [the Swedish authorities] do not do this, if the attacks on our holy shrine (the Quran) continue, then they should not be offended that Türkiye does not approve its NATO bid,” the TRT TV channel quoted Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying.

Türkiye agreed to lift its veto on Sweden’s NATO membership after Erdogan held consultations with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Council President Charles Michel ahead of the organization’s July 11-12 summit in Vilnius. Stockholm promised not to support organizations declared terrorist by Ankara and to give it all possible support in the EU accession issue.