Trilateral NATO deal a diplomatic victory for Türkiye: Erdogan

By Trend

The trilateral agreement Türkiye reached with Sweden and Finland that oblige NATO-aspirant Nordic states to effectively fight against all sorts of anti-Türkiye terror organizations is a diplomatic victory for the country, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said, vowing that the Turkish Parliament cannot ratify the admission of these countries to the alliance if they don’t implement the agreement, Trend reports citing Hurriyet Daily News.

“No doubt, this memorandum of understanding that was brokered following tough negotiations is a diplomatic victory for Türkiye and the Turkish people,” Erdogan said at a press conference at the end of the NATO Summit in Madrid on June 30.

Sweden and Finland, who wish to join the alliance, promised to cooperate with Türkiye in its fight against terrorism against the PKK, PYD/YPG, FETÖ and other terror organizations and to take measures against the presence and activities of these organizations. Türkiye, in return, accepted to lift its objection to their admission to NATO.

“I see the memorandum of understanding as a sign that Türkiye’s sensitivities are now understood. But, at the same, this is a beginning and an invitation [to Sweden and Finland]. We will strictly follow the implementation of the promises given to us,” Erdogan stated.

Diplomacy is not a zero-sum-game and should be seen as a tool for prevailing the win-win situation, Erdogan said, advising Sweden and Finland to regard this memorandum from this perspective. “All our sensitivities were addressed in this memorandum of understanding. But this is not only to the benefit of Türkiye and NATO but also to the people of Sweden and Finland.”

President Erdogan, responding to a question said, although the signed document is very important, more significant is the implementation of it. “Their process [for entering NATO] cannot work without parliamentary approvals. First, they have to fulfill their responsibilities which are outlined in the document. If they are done, then we will send it to our Parliament. If not, then we cannot send it,” Erdogan stated, recalling that North Macedonia’s admission took around 20 years.