Sweden took a significant step towards joining Nato on Tuesday with the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs commission approving its bid.
The move is crucial for Sweden's bid to join the western alliance and follows a 19-month delay due to Turkey demanding certain security measures from Sweden.
The commission, led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP), voted to support Sweden's application, which was submitted in reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The ratification process now moves to the parliament itself – the Grand National Assembly of Turkey – which Mr Erdogan’s party also controls.
If the General Assembly votes in favour of Sweden's bid, Mr Erdogan will sign off on the decision to complete the process.
Commission head Fuat Oktay said that the General Assembly's vote might not happen immediately, stating that the Speaker would set the timetable.
“The decision to submit it to the General Assembly has been made now, but this should not be interpreted as [a sign] that it will pass the General Assembly with the same speed. There is no such thing,” said Mr Oktay.
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British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin signs the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on April 4, 1949. All photos: Getty -
The North Atlantic Treaty showing the signatures of the foreign secretaries and ambassadors of the original signing nations - Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the US -
A meeting of the North Atlantic Council deputies in 1951 in London, attended by Gen Dwight D Eisenhower, centre -
Lord Hastings Lionel Ismay, Secretary General of Nato, with the newly adopted Nato emblem in 1952 -
Belgian Foreign Minister Paul-Henri Spaak holds a press conference in Paris after taking over from Hastings Ismay as Nato chief in 1956 -
The opening speech at the Nato summit in Paris in 1957 -
Some of the Nato vessels gathered for Exercise Medflex Invicta in Malta in 1961 -
A McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter-bomber of the Royal Navy is launched from HMS Ark Royal during a Nato exercise in 1972 -
German Nato troops on manoeuvres in 1980 -
Lord Carrington, the new Secretary General of Nato, sits behind his desk in Brussels, Belgium, in 1984 -
A US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle refuels in the skies over Macedonia in 1999, as it flies missions in support of Nato Operation Allied Force -
Frigates, part of the Nato permanent fleet based in the Mediterranean Sea, enter the port of Piraeus, Greece, in 2003 -
US President George W Bush, US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, ambassador R Nicholas Burns and US Secretary of State Colin Powell attend the Nato summit in 2004 in Istanbul, Turkey -
Members of the military attend a commemoration for Nato soldiers during the 2009 summit in Kehl, Germany -
A protester throws a stone during clashes at the Nato summit in 2009 in Strasbourg, France -
A Polish soldier sits in a tank as a Nato flag flies behind during military exercises in Zagan, Poland, in 2015 -
Guests depart after attending the opening ceremony at the 2018 Nato summit in Brussels -
Nato leaders listen to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson while attending the summit in 2019 in Watford, England -
Soldiers from the Royal Welsh Battlegroup take part in manoeuvres during a Nato exercise on the Estonian-Latvian border in 2022 in Voru, Estonia -
Secretary General of Nato Jens Stoltenberg meets troops at the Tapa Army Base in 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia -
Polish soldiers hold a Nato flag in 2022 at a training ground in Orzysz, Poland -
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mr Stoltenberg attend a joint press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, in April 2023
The approval has been expected by some of Turkey's allies and is considered to be a significant moment in assessing Ankara's relations with the West.
The AKP along with its Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) allies as well as the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) voted in favour of the ratification. However, the smaller Islamist Felicity party and the right nationalist Iyi party opposed it.
Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commended the Turkish parliamentary committee for approving Sweden's bid.
He urged Turkey and Hungary to complete their ratifications promptly, highlighting that Sweden's membership will enhance Nato's strength.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom welcomed the commission's decision, expressing his country's readiness to join Nato.
Boris Ruge, Nato's assistant secretary general for political affairs and security policy, also expressed his approval of the decision, saying it was “excellent news”.
Turkish objections
Turkey initially opposed Sweden and Finland joining Nato, with Mr Erdogan citing their support for groups Ankara deems terrorist organisations as well as their defence embargoes.
Sweden, which had to wait longer than Finland for ratification, was required to take stronger measures against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), labelled a terrorist organisation by both the EU and the US.
Stockholm introduced a new antiterrorism law and, along with Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands, took steps to relax arms export policies with regard to Turkey.
Although Hungary still needs to ratify Sweden's membership, Turkey's approval is seen as vital for Sweden's inclusion in Nato and the strengthening of defences in the Baltic Sea region.
Mr Erdogan linked the forwarding of Sweden's application to parliament in October to the US government's approval of F-16 fighter jet sales to Turkey.
Despite support from the White House, the sale is pending US congressional approval.
Turkey faces opposition due to its human rights record and stance on Nato expansion.
