Kurds betrayed in Sweden NATO deal

CounterVortex
F-16

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dropped his opposition to Sweden’s entry into NATO, it was announced just ahead of the opening of the military alliance summit in Vilnius July 11. US President Joe Biden thanked Erdogan for his “courage” in clearing the way for Stockholm’s bid. In an apparent quid pro quo, the State Department said the administration is dropping its objections to Turkey purchasing F-16 fighter jets from the US. Congress opposed sales of the jets to Turkey after Ankara bought Russian S-400 missile systems in 2017.

In blocking Sweden’s NATO membership bid, Turkey had accused Stockholm of harboring Kurdish “terrorists”—meaning prominent supporters of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara officially labels a “terrorist” group. Last November, Sweden amended its constitution to strengthen its “anti-terrorism” laws—clearly in deference to Turkey. The amendment, which passed with 278 votes in Sweden’s 349-seat parliament, makes it possible to introduce new laws to “limit freedom of association when it comes to associations that engage in or support terrorism.”

The Swedish Supreme Court in June also ruled to allow extradition of the accused PKK figures to Turkey. And the rallies held in Stockholm against the extraditions by Kurdish immigrants and exiles may now be criminalized. (EKurd Daily, EKurd Daily, Rudaw, EuroNews, DW)

The US and EU both also designate the PKK a “terrorist organization,” despite growing legal challenges to this in Europe.

Photo of F-16: USAF via Wikimedia Commons

  1. Turkish parliament ratifies Sweden’s bid to join NATO

    The Turkish National Assembly on Jan. 23 accepted Sweden’s bid to join the NATO alliance by a vote of 287 in favor, 55 against, and four abstaining. The NATO Treaty requires unanimity within the alliance for a state to join NATO, giving individual member states a right of veto. 

    Hungary remains the only NATO state that still needs to ratify Sweden’s membership bid. If Hungary approves Sweden’s accession, Sweden will become the 32nd member of NATO.

    On March 31, 2023, Turkish lawmakers voted in favor of Finland’s accession to NATO. Since April 4, 2023, Finland has been a NATO member. (Jurist)

  3. State Department approves sale of F-16s to Turkey

    The State Department notified Congress on Jan. 26 that it had approved a $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to Turkey after the country’s leader signed documents to allow Sweden’s long-delayed entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, department officials and the Pentagon said.

    Although Congress could move to formally block the sale, four senior lawmakers told the State Department on Friday evening that they would not object, after their aides reviewed the documents signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (NYT)

  4. Hungary parliament ratifies Sweden’s accession to NATO

    Hungary’s parliament voted to ratify Sweden’s membership bid to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Feb. 26, officially becoming the final NATO nation to approve of Sweden’s accession. Sweden is poised to become the 32nd NATO member state upon formal invitation of NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

    Article 10 of the NATO Treaty requires a “unanimous agreement” of all member states to admit new members. By a vote of 188-6, Hungary’s parliament demonstrated an overwhelming approval of Sweden’s bid.  Sweden applied for accession to NATO alongside Finland in May 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    Finland officially became a NATO member state in April 2023. Hungary and Turkey were the final two NATO member states to ratify Finland’s accession as well. (Jurist)

    Sweden is one of the EU countries that have accused Hungary of backsliding on the EU’s democratic principles. In turn, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s office accused officials in Sweden of sitting on a “crumbling throne of moral superiority.” (BBC News)