NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday it is up to Turkiye whether to ratify Finland first and Sweden afterward or let both Nordic nations join the military alliance together.

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Reported by|ANNA sam
world section CJ journalist
16 Feb. 2023

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         Stoltenberg declared that turkey only is the owner of its decision over the 2 files of Finland and Sweed who are introducing to join NATO but Turkey opposed the request ...NATO secretary said;

"My position is that both can be ratified now. But the main issue is not whether they are ratified together. The main issue is that Finland and Sweden are ratified as soon as possible," he told reporters in Ankara.

He argued that both Sweden and Finland had made progress on Turkiye's concerns since the three signed a joint memorandum at a NATO summit in July and it was time for them to become full members.

 

"Let me add one more thing. And that is that this is a Turkish decision. It's the Turkish government, the Turkish parliament, that decides on the issue of ratification, and it's a Turkish decision alone," he said.

 

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Read more | Finnish President says Helsinki, Stockholm Will Join NATO by July

 

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Stoltenberg admitted that the recent burning of the holy Muslim book in Stockholm was "disgraceful" but he insisted that Sweden had acted promptly to prevent protesters from torching more copies of the Quran. He said Sweden had also made good on its promise to address Ankara’s terrorism concerns.

it is worth that In July 2022, NATO invited Finland and Sweden to join the organization, and the ratification process for the two countries is in progress