Biden administration linking F-16 sale to Sweden NATO bid: Erdogan

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
10 Sep 2023 20:47

The Turkish President says Sweden should fulfill the duties necessary before the Turkish Parliament can ratify its NATO bid.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his US counterpart Joe Biden meet on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, on November 15, 2022 (AFP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan indicated on Sunday that US President Joe Biden's administration has connected the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey with Ankara's approval of Stockholm's NATO membership bid, adding that this "seriously upsets" his country.

During a press conference after the G20 summit in the Indian capital New Delhi, Erdogan noted that he had a "pull-aside" meeting with Biden on the sidelines of the gathering and both leaders discussed the transfer of F-16s to Turkey.

According to the Turkish President, Biden linked the supply of F-16s to Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO application.

"I did have a pull-aside, informal conversation with President Biden and we did discuss F-16s. But when it comes to the F-16 aircraft, unfortunately, what they do is take this to Sweden [Sweden's accession to NATO]," Erdogan said.

"This approach seriously upsets us," he added.

In October 2021, Turkey, which had been a significant obstacle to Sweden's NATO aspirations, requested a $20 billion purchase of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-16s and around 80 modernization kits for its aircraft.

Following months of objections, Erdogan agreed to forward Sweden's NATO bid to the Turkish parliament for ratification during a NATO summit in July. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan later indicated that the F-16 transfer to Turkey would proceed in consultation with Congress. Nonetheless, the exact timing of this transaction and the Turkish parliament's approval of Sweden's NATO bid remain uncertain.

Erdogan emphasized that just as Congress plays a role in the decision on F-16 sales to Turkey, the Turkish parliament is equally important in deciding on Sweden's NATO membership bid. He insisted that he cannot unilaterally approve Sweden's bid without parliamentary approval.

Turkey has accused Sweden of harboring militants hostile to Turkey, particularly members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union, and the United States.

Erdogan also called on Sweden to fulfill its promises, which include actions like extraditing PKK militants and preventing pro-PKK gatherings within Sweden, before Turkey can support Sweden's NATO bid.

Sweden "should fulfill the duties it has to fulfill," the Turkish leader stressed, adding that if it fails to do so, he would be "bound by resolution" coming from the Turkish parliament.

In response to Ankara's concerns, Stockholm passed legislation in June, criminalizing membership in a terrorist group or providing financial support to outlawed groups.

Sweden remains hopeful that Turkish lawmakers will approve its NATO application when they reconvene in October, as agreed upon during the July NATO summit.

Along with Finland, Sweden submitted its NATO application in May 2022, several months after the start of the war in Ukraine. While Finland became a member of the US-led military alliance in April 2023, Sweden's application is still pending ratification by Hungary, apart from Turkey.