Director of Communications Altun: "If Sweden, who wishes to be our NATO ally, does not take the necessary measures in response to these provocations and does not take a clear stance in the fight against terrorism, it seems unlikely that Türkiye will approve its membership in NATO."
The Presidency's Director of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, said, "If Sweden, who wishes to be our NATO ally, does not take the necessary measures in response to these provocations and does not take a clear stance in the fight against terrorism, it seems unlikely that Türkiye will approve its membership in NATO."
The Presidency's Director of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, sent a video message to the Panel on Türkiye's Contributions to Transatlantic Security and the Transformation of NATO, which was organised by the Presidency's Directorate of Communications in Vilnius, Lithuania, as part of the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit.
Noting that global security and prosperity are under threat in this era due to a variety of issues, such as economic crises, epidemics, starvation, climate change, and natural disasters, Director of Communications Altun stated that in recent years, which saw the pandemic, political conflicts, the hunt for military solutions, and the earthquake tragedy in Türkiye, they had to devote a significant portion of their resources to these concerns.
Director of Communications Altun remarked that, as Türkiye, they were attempting to overcome the disaster of the century with unprecedented state-nation solidarity.
Reminding that their international call for assistance during the earthquake drew a large response, Director of Communications Altun said, "More than 100 countries offered assistance, and over 10,000 personnel from more than 70 countries assisted in the search and rescue operations in the quake-hit area. In this regard, I would like to thank all the friendly countries that have not withheld their support from us once more."
Director of Communications Altun stated that multiple elements were threatening global security, and regional problems had the potential to become global problems as their sphere of influence expanded over time.
"We believe that emphasising international solidarity and cooperation is a viable approach"
Highlighting that all kinds of challenges, whether local or regional, aimed at establishing a worldwide sphere of influence in our time require the search for global answers from this perspective, Director of Communications Altun continued:
"Overdue, ill-thought-out, poorly analysed, or only local responses to global issues might cause these issues to jeopardise global security in a short period of time. As a result, we believe that emphasising international solidarity and cooperation is a viable approach. During times of crisis in a certain region, states should be able to set aside their conflicts of interest and disputes for a while and focus on the humanitarian aspect of the problem. In the view of states and peoples, solidarity in such difficult times cannot be overlooked; it fosters a shared humanity consciousness and can also serve as a motivator for long-term peace and security. Of course, in this environment, we recognise that NATO, as an effective example of international cooperation, is performing essential work, and we have been making calls to improve its functionality."
Even though the historical circumstances on the day it was created have altered, NATO, which now has 31 members, remains a large area of collaboration and solidarity for all allies, Director of Communications Altun said.
Stating that NATO's current operations must be oriented towards international collaboration and solidarity, as well as stability and prosperity, which are among its original objectives, Director of Communications Altun added:
"Improving NATO's ability to cope with and develop answers to present global crises and uncertainties, as well as the challenges they may bring in the future, is one of the Alliance's top priorities in determining its future. With the report titled 'NATO 2030: United for a New Era,' the will to strengthen the Alliance's strategic and political aspects was demonstrated. In the vision for 2030, the preparations of NATO as a security organisation to become an organisation that contributes not only to the security of its member countries but also to the security of the entire globe are evident. NATO has played a substantial role in ensuring the security of our nation and has significantly contributed to our goal of cooperation with Euro-Atlantic organisations in numerous ways. Since joining the Alliance in 1952, Türkiye, with its vast military capabilities, historical experiences, and cultural ties, has fulfilled its responsibilities in reaching the Alliance's global peace and security goals. Taking all of this into account, a transformation expectation in NATO has emerged, with the ability to act with greater instruments in the name of international cooperation and solidarity. Türkiye has also been collaborating with NATO to realise such a transformation."
''That Sweden is not taking the necessary measures in response to these provocations...''
Director of Communications Altun stressed that in addition to NATO's core tasks, countering terrorism is emphasised as one of the most essential components in the Alliance's 2022 Strategic Concept, and Türkiye expects Alliance members to support its fight against terrorism within this context.
Recalling that reservations and expectations have been openly expressed to these states and other allies concerning Finland and Sweden's applications for membership, Director of Communications Altun reiterated that Türkiye, Finland, and Sweden signed a trilateral memorandum during the NATO Madrid Summit last year.
Stating that the fight against terrorism is of particular importance for the Permanent Joint Mechanism established in accordance with this agreement, Director of Communications Altun said:
''In fact, we observed that Finland took sincere measures to fulfil its obligations under the trilateral memorandum, and we cleared the way for their NATO membership. However, Sweden does not appear to be sufficiently committed to fulfilling the terms of the memorandum and is unable to distance itself from terrorism. In addition, Türkiye cannot disregard the provocative act of burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an under the guise of freedom of expression, which unfortunately condones the rise of Islamophobia and xenophobia. These stunts and attacks have severely undermined our faith in the fulfilment of the commitments. We would like to remind you once more that NATO is an alliance that prioritises democratic values and that such acts of hostility against any sanctity do not fall within the purview of democracy or free speech. The historically tolerant stance of the Swedish government towards such heinous acts casts serious doubt on the country's membership bid. If Sweden, which wishes to be our NATO ally, does not take the necessary measures in response to these provocations and does not take a clear stance in the fight against terrorism, it seems unlikely that Türkiye will approve its membership in NATO.''
Noting that they decided to host this forum in Vilnius, where the NATO summit will be held, because they believe it would be beneficial, Director of Communications Altun hoped that this panel, which they believe will contribute to the future projections of the NATO alliance, to which Türkiye attaches great importance, yields fruitful and auspicious results.