Stoltenberg added in an interview with “Agence France Presse” that the matter depends on the Turkish and Hungarian parliaments.
He stated, “I expect that (the accession process will take place in 2023), but I do not guarantee the exact date, because of course it is a sovereign decision of the Turkish and Hungarian parliaments (who) have not yet ratified the agreement.”
And obstruct Hungary and Turkey since May accession of Sweden and Finland to the “NATO”.
He added, “We conducted negotiations and it was required last July when Turkey, Finland and Sweden agreed on a joint memorandum describing how to intensify their cooperation with regard to arms exports and also, for example, combating terrorism.”
He continued, “Finland and Sweden respected this agreement and clearly pledged to cooperate in the long term with Turkey on these issues. Therefore, the time has come to finalize the accession process and ratify the accession protocol.”
But it seems that things are not going well, as Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Christson said during a press conference on defense and security that Turkey has “demands that we cannot and do not want to make.”
However, the NATO Secretary General noted the speed of the two countries’ accession process.
Stoltenberg said: “Of course I hope it takes place as soon as possible. But in the meantime it is a fast process compared to all the accessions to the Atlantic.”
“I am convinced that this will happen, but I will not speculate on the timing of the accession process,” he said.
NATO is a military alliance established in 1949, in order to confront the Soviet threat after World War II.
The alliance charter stipulates that all member states (they currently number 30) must agree to the accession of any new country.
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