By Janet Ekstract
ISTANBUL- On Friday, Sweden’s Inspectorate of Strategic Products (ISP) indicated it restarted arms sales to Turkiye in the third quarter of the year as part of the country’s NATO bid but has not revealed the companies involved. The agency website stated: “With regard to the changed defense and security policy circumstances, ISP has, after an overall assessment, decided to grant a permit for follow-on deliveries from the Swedish defense industry to Turkey.” The agency said that the permit applies to military equipment in categories that include electronics, software and technical assistance.
The move is seen largely as a way to quicken Sweden’s NATO bid. As the agency added: “The government has made the assessment that Swedish membership in NATO is the best way to safeguard the security of Sweden and the Swedish people.” Months ago, Turkiye had made it clear that Sweden and Finland’s NATO bids would be contingent on both countries not supporting terrorist groups which Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan accused the two countries of doing. The Turkish leader had also criticized Sweden’s arms embargo on Turkiye and a trilateral memorandum was signed between the countries in June that is contingent on Finland and Sweden not providing support to the YPG/PYD – the terrorist PKK’s Syrian offshoot -or to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), accused of the 2016 coup in Turkiye.
It’s necessary for the Turkish Parliament to ratify Finland and Sweden’s membership bids in order for them to join NATO. Turkish officials have made it clear that the two countries must extradite terrorist suspects within their countries that the Turkish government has sought for decades. Turkish officials have cautioned that Finland and Sweden must adhere to the tripartite agreement or risk NATO membership since all NATO members must approve any new entries.
