ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – Turkish lawmakers on Tuesday backed Sweden's membership in NATO, removing a major hurdle to the previously non-aligned country's membership in the military alliance.
Deputies ratified Sweden's accession protocol by a vote of 287 to 55, with four abstentions. Ratification will take effect after publication in the Official Gazette and is expected to take effect promptly.
This leaves Hungary as the only NATO ally that has not yet ratified Sweden's membership.
NATO member Turkey has delayed Sweden's membership for more than a year, accusing the country of being too lenient on groups that Ankara views as a security threat. The government is demanding concessions from Stockholm, including a tougher stance against Kurdish militants and members of a network the Turkish government blames for a 2016 coup attempt.
Turkey was also furious at a series of demonstrations by supporters of Sweden's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and Koran-burning protests that have roiled Muslim countries.
Last month, parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee agreed to Sweden's bid in the first stage of the legislative process, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent the accession protocol to lawmakers for approval.
Last month, arguing in favor of Sweden's membership, Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akkapar cited measures taken by Sweden to meet Turkey's demands, including lifting restrictions on defense industry sales and amending anti-terrorism laws. did.
Sweden has pledged to deepen cooperation with Turkey on counter-terrorism and support Ankara's ambitions to regain membership in the European Union.
Turkey's main opposition parties also supported Sweden's entry into the alliance, but centre-right parties and the country's pro-Kurdish parties declared their opposition to it.
“Sweden's measures regarding the extradition of wanted criminals and the fight against terrorism remain limited and insufficient,” Good Party lawmaker Moussabat Dervişoğlu told parliament.
President Erdoğan has tied Sweden's ratification of NATO membership to the US Congress' approval of Turkey's request to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and kit to modernize Turkey's existing fleet. He also called on Canada and other NATO allies to lift the arms embargo on Turkey.
Fellow Good Party lawmaker Koray Aydin called for a hold on Sweden's ratification of membership until the F-16 sale and modernization kits are approved in Washington, saying Turkey would lose an important bargaining chip. requested Congress.
The administration of US President Joe Biden did not formally link the F-16 sale to Turkey's admission of Sweden to NATO. However, many influential members of parliament had said they would not support the sale unless and until Turkey signed Sweden into the alliance.
Administration officials said they expected relatively quick action on the F-16 sale after Turkey ratified Sweden's NATO membership.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in Washington that Sweden is “fully prepared to become a NATO ally.”
He added: “The time has come for Sweden to become a NATO ally. They have a modern and advanced military, which we feel very comfortable with. And they are truly committed to the alliance. will add significant military capabilities to the
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland abandoned their traditional positions of military non-alignment and sought protection under NATO's security umbrella. Finland joined the alliance in April, becoming NATO's 31st member, after the Turkish parliament approved the Nordic countries' proposal.
Hungary is also blocking Sweden's candidacy, claiming that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the state of democracy in Hungary. Hungary said it would not be the last to approve membership, although it was not clear when the Hungarian parliament intended to hold a vote.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a letter to Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Tuesday, announcing that he would invite him to Budapest to discuss Sweden's membership in NATO.
NATO expansion requires unanimous approval from all existing members, but only Turkey and Hungary have held out, frustrating other NATO allies who had wanted Sweden and Finland to join earlier.
Associated Press writers Aamer Madani and Matthew Lee contributed from Washington.
