The foreign affairs committee of the Turkish Parliament has granted approval for Sweden's NATO bid, marking a crucial initial step before the matter is presented for a full parliamentary vote.
The committee endorsed the bill pertaining to the approval of Sweden's NATO accession protocol, with votes from the ruling Justice and Development Party, the Nationalist Movement Party, and the main opposition Republican People's Party, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
However, the IYI (Good) Party opposed the bill, and the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party abstained from voting.
Committee Chairman Fuat Oktay noted that while Sweden has taken measures, particularly in addressing terrorism financing, Turkey has yet to witness the anticipated outcomes in the fight against terrorism.
The parliament may engage in debates on the bid at the general assembly later this week, leading to the final vote. If the parliament goes into recess, the vote will be postponed to the new year.
In October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed Sweden's NATO accession protocol, initiating the parliamentary process. Turkey had previously endorsed Finland's NATO bid in March but has been cautious in approving Sweden's accession, urging the Nordic nation to address Ankara's security concerns.
Despite pressure from the United States for Turkey to greenlight Sweden's NATO membership, Ankara has delayed the ratification as part of negotiations with Washington regarding the sale of F-16 fighter jets.
(With Agency Inputs)
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