Hungary approves Sweden’s NATO membership. The Alliance reaches 32 members
"Closer Ties to the West Don’t Mean Turkey Will Give Up On Russia [...]At the end of January, the Turkish parliament finally approved Sweden’s accession to NATO (new members require unanimous approval from existing members). The issue of Sweden’s membership had become a bargaining chip, with Ankara demanding concessions from both Stockholm and, more importantly, the U.S. administration and Congress."
After Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's resistance dropped, the National Assembly in Budapest has given the green light to ratify the Stockholm Accession Protocol. Rejoices the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson: "Historic day, ready to assume our responsibilities for Euro-Atlantic security."
by Federico Baccini @federicobaccini 26 February 2024
Joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson
Brussels – The last hurdle in front of Sweden’s path into NATO has also fallen. Hungary’s National Assembly has voted today (Feb. 26) in favour of ratifying Stockholm’s accession protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and, in a few days, the Scandinavian country will be able to officially become the 32nd member country of the Atlantic Alliance. “Today is a historic day,” rejoiced Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson: “We are ready to assume our responsibilities for Euro-Atlantic security.”
The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orbán (credits: Javier Soriano/Afp)
The go-ahead came with 188 votes in favour and six against after it had been clear from the words of the prime minister, Viktor Orbán, at the opening of the parliamentary session, that deputies from the ruling Fidesz party would no longer create problems for ratification. The two premiers had met last Friday (Feb. 23) in Budapest to discuss defence and security cooperation, and it emerged from the negotiations that Hungary will be able to purchase four new Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets while Stockholm would no longer see obstructionism from Budapest on its path to Atlantic Alliance membership. “Sweden’s entry into NATOwill strengthen Hungary’s security,” Orbán commented today, calling Kristersson’s visit to the Hungarian capital an essential step toward building “a fair and respectful relationship between the two countries.” Sweden’s (and Finland’s 31st member country as of Apr. 4, 2023) accession protocol was signed on Jul. 5, 2022, after a strategic historical turn on national security policy traditionally linked to non-alignment, and it has been an uphill road for Stockholm ever since. More than 19 months after the Vilnius summit, Hungary had remained the only member country not to formally approve Stockholm’s entry into the Atlantic Alliance, when also Turkey .. https://www.eunews.it/en/2024/01/23/turkey-ready-to-ratify-swedens-nato-accession-protocol-but-hungary-is-still-missing/ .. ended its tough blockade. A month ago, Orbán had formally dropped his short obstructionism, but so did not his Fidesz party, boycotting the extraordinary session earlier this month. Finding himself under pressure from the other members and cornered by Kristersson’s visit, the Hungarian premier finally pushed his party members to drop the resistance. Secretary General of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg welcomed “the Hungarian parliament’s vote to ratify Sweden’s membership in NATO. Now that all Allies have approved, Sweden will become the 32nd NATO Ally. Sweden’s membership will make us all stronger and safer.”
The entrance ceremony for the new Alliance member could be held at NATO headquarters as early as Friday (Mar. 1). Sweden’s steps to join NATO
To become a member of NATO, a country must send a formal application previously approved by its national parliament. This opens two stages of discussions with the Alliance, which do not necessarily pave the way for membership: the first, the Intensified Dialogue, delves into the country’s rationale for applying; the second, the Membership Action Plan, prepares the potential candidate to meet the necessary political, economic, military and legal requirements .. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_37356.htm .. (democratic system, market economy, respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights, standards of intelligence and contribution to military operations, aptitude for peaceful conflict resolution). This second round of discussions was introduced in 1999 after the accession of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic to address the process with would-be members with political systems other than those of the Alliance’s founding countries, such as the former Soviet countries.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
The accession procedure formally begins with the application of Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty .. https://www.nato.int/cps/fr/natohq/official_texts_17120.htm?selectedLocale=en , which provides that “the parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite for accession any other European state capable of furthering the development of the principles of this Treaty and contributing to the security of the North Atlantic region.” The resolution must be voted on unanimously by all member countries. At this point, the accession talks open at the headquarters in Brussels to confirm the candidate’s willingness and ability to meet the obligations of membership: political and military issues first, security and economic issues second. After the accession talks, which are, in effect, a phase of negotiations, the candidate country’s foreign minister sends a letter of intent to the Alliance secretary general.
The accession process ends with the Protocol of Accession, which is prepared by an amendment to the Washington Treaty .. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/official_texts_17120.htm , the founding text of the Alliance. This Protocol must be ratified by all members, with procedures varying by country: in Italy, the vote of the Parliament in a joint session is required to authorize the President of the Republic to ratify the international treaty. Once the Accession Protocol has been amended, the NATO Secretary General formally invites the candidate country to join the Alliance, and the agreement is deposited at the U.S. State Department headquarters in Washington. At the end of this process, the candidate is officially a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization member.
Terror attack blamed as five killed and 14 wounded at Turkish aerospace firm
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemns ‘heinous’ attack after explosion and reports of gunfire at Tusas HQ near Ankara
Peter Beaumont and Ruth Michaelson Thu 24 Oct 2024 04.23 AEDT
VIDEO - Four killed in 'terrorist' attack on aerospace facility, says Turkey's interior minister
Turkey’s interior minister has blamed a “terrorist attack” for an explosion and assault at the headquarters of the national aerospace company, Tusas, outside Ankara that has killed five people and wounded 22 others.
The large blast happened outside the building at 4pm on Wednesday, and there were reports that gunfire was also heard in the vicinity.
The interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, said: “Sadly, we have five martyrs and 22 wounded in the attack. Three of the injured were already discharged from hospital, 19 of them under treatment.”
He said two attackers – a woman and a man – had been “neutralised” and work was under way to determine their identities. Yerlikaya did not say whether there were any other attackers still at large, amid conflicting reports of whether the situation was ongoing.
Media outlets that had been showing live footage from the scene were forced to halt their broadcasts after Turkey’s media watchdog ordered a blackout of images from the site. Habertürk TV had said earlier there was an ongoing “hostage situation”, without giving further details. The exact circumstances of the explosion and subsequent gunfire remained unclear, with some media reports suggesting it was a suicide attack.
It was not clear who was behind the attack. Kurdish militants, Islamic State and leftist extremists have carried out attacks in the country in the past. The defence minister, Yasar Güler, pointed the finger at the militant Kurdistan Workers’ party, or PKK, without giving evidence.
[Insert: Could it be that outfit Trump said he had finished, you know like Netanyahu originally saying to eliminate Hamas was a primary war goal. Could it have been Islamic State. Again. Putin has repeatedly used terror attacks to tighten his grip on Russia By Olivia Yanchik March 28, 2024 The March 22 terror attack on a Moscow concert hall was the deadliest in Russia for almost two decades. While the official investigation into the attack is still underway, it is already becoming increasingly clear that the Kremlin intends to ignore overwhelming evidence of Islamic State responsibility in order to accuse the Ukrainian authorities and their Western partners of orchestrating the killings. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/putin-has-repeatedly-used-terror-attacks-to-tighten-his-grip-on-russia/]
“We give these PKK scoundrels the punishment they deserve every time. But they never come to their senses,” Güler said. “We will pursue them until the last terrorist is eliminated.”
The attack occurred a day after the leader of Turkey’s far-right Nationalist Movement party, which is allied with Erdogan, raised the possibility that the PKK’s imprisoned leader could be granted parole if he renounced violence and disbanded his organisation.
Erdogan was in the Russian city of Kazan for a Brics summit of major emerging market nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, where he held talks with Vladimir Putin.
According to initial reports, the attack was launched by several gunmen who arrived at the site by taxi. Local television footage appeared to show individuals wearing black and carrying rucksacks in the streets near the building firing at bystanders. TV images also showed a damaged gate and a clash in a car park.
The TV channel NTV said a group of assailants arrived at an entrance to the complex in a taxi during a changing of the security personnel. At least one of the assailants detonated a bomb, while other attackers managed to enter the complex, it said. Tusas is one of Turkey’s most important defence and aviation companies. It produces Kaan, the country’s first national combat aircraft, among other projects.
According to the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, staff in the building were directed to shelters for security reasons. The blast occurred asan important trade fair for the defence and aerospace industries was taking place in Istanbul, which was visited this week by Ukraine’s top diplomat.
Turkey’s defence sector, which is known for making Bayraktar drones, accounts for nearly 80% of the country’s export revenues, with revenues thought to exceed $10.2bn in 2023.
The attack drew condemnation from the transport minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, and the opposition leader, Özgür Özel, who heads the Republican People’s party (CHP). “I condemn the terrorist attack against TAI facilities in Kahramankazan … I condemn terrorism, no matter who or where it comes from,” Özel wrote on X.
The Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, said the military alliance would stand with Turkey. He posted on X: “Deeply concerning reports of dead and wounded in Ankara. #NATO stands with our Ally #Turkey. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and are monitoring developments closely.”
In January two gunmen opened fire inside a Catholic church in Istanbul, killing a man, with Islamic State claiming responsibility.
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