Sweden: On Wednesday, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson will be in Washington to discuss Sweden’s ascension to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with President Joe Biden. The official statement put out by White house said that the leaders “will review our growing security cooperation and reaffirm their view that Sweden should join NATO as soon as possible.” The leaders will also discuss larger picture of Trans-Atlantic security cooperation against China and war in Ukraine. Besides the security issues climate change and emerging technologies will also be focus of the bilateral talks during the scheduled visit.
Turkish Concerns over Sweden’s entry in NATO
After Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Sweden along with its Nordic neighbor Finland gave up their historic neutrality and expressed wish to join collective security of NATO. While Finland was granted entry earlier this year, NATO member states of Turkey is opposed to Sweden’s ascension.
Turkey has expressed concerns over Sweden’s decision to allow offences against Islam by allowing activities like Quran burning. Last week during Eid-al-Adha prayers a copy of Quran was burned outside main mosque in Stockholm.l The protest had approval form court and police officials. There have been other instances of Quran burning in Sweden and Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan has continuously made note to establishment in Stockholm regarding such activities. Tukey also has resentments over Sweden granting asylum to Kurdish leaders in its territory.
Sweden had struck a deal with Tukey last year to clamp down on activities of Kurdish National Party. Aside from Turkey, Hungary’s delay in securing parliament approval for allowing Swede’s ascension into NATO has also stretched the process.
Meeting at NATO headquarters
Ahead of his visit to the United States Kristersson said “I am delighted that President Biden is inviting us to a meeting next week, before the NATO summit in Vilnius the following week.” The events of Quran burning has further antagonized Erdogan and move to secure Sweden’s membership is in hurdles. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that top diplomatic representatives from Turkey and Sweden will meet in Brussels on Thursday to sort out Turkey’s objection in grating Stockholm membership in the alliance. NATO requires unanimous approval from all members states to allow entry of a new country.
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