July 4, 2022 20:18
Tomorrow, Tuesday, NATO countries will launch the procedures for ratifying the accession of Sweden and Finland to the alliance.
“The Allies will sign on Tuesday the Protocol to Admit Finland and Sweden to Membership,” NATO said in a statement.
Also, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary-General of the alliance, which includes 30 countries, said during the inauguration ceremony of the new Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, US General Christopher Cavoli, “We are preparing to receive two new allies with enormous military forces and capabilities.”
Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Linde and her Finnish counterpart Pekka Haavisto participated in final discussions at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels on Monday, before the scheduled signing of accession protocols on Tuesday and the start of the ratification process in each of the coalition member states.
Turkey agreed to launch this process during the summit of NATO leaders in the Spanish capital, Madrid, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reminded the two northern countries of the conditions that must be met. “If they do their duty, we will submit (the memorandum of understanding) to Parliament (for approval). If they do not, we will not send it to Parliament…” he said in a press conference.
Erdogan referred to “a promise made by Sweden” regarding the deportation of wanted persons. This promise came in a memorandum signed by the leaders of the three countries in Madrid on Tuesday before the opening of the NATO summit.
“They will deport them, they promised. This is stipulated in written documents. They will keep their promise,” Erdogan said.
Source: AFP
