Day: June 29, 2022

The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO is expected to be “unprecedentedly quick, within few weeks,” the military alliance’s chief said on Wednesday in his doorstep remarks at the ongoing Madrid summit.

Asked by Anadolu Agency whether Türkiye, Finland and Sweden have determined a calendar after signing Tuesday’s memorandum, Jens Stoltenberg said: “Well, Finland and Sweden have already taken steps to tighten their legislation on terrorism. So, this is something which has already started to be implemented.”

“And I think this agreement is extremely important because it reflects the commitment we have to stand together as allies to address all our security concerns, of course also including the fight against terrorism,” he added.

The memorandum allows the two Nordic countries to become NATO members but conditions them to take steps on Türkiye’s terrorism concerns and lifts an arms embargo on Ankara.

It also states that Finland and Sweden will work closely with Türkiye on issues related to exchange information, extradition and in general the fight against terrorism.

Noting that they will make a decision during the day to invite the Nordic countries to become members, he said the accession process will be “unprecedentedly quick.”

Although there will be a ratification process in 30 parliaments of the members, Stoltenberg said that he cannot promise but he expects the process to be completed “quickly” and added: “I think we can hardly find any other accession process with so few weeks between the application that happened mid-May, and the invitation that will happen now.”

‘Transformative summit’

Underlining that the Madrid summit will be “a transformative summit” because “historic decisions” will be made by the member states, Stoltenberg said that allies will agree on a new Strategic Concept and a “fundamental shift to our deterrence and defense.”

“And then the leaders will also make a historic decision to invite Finland and Sweden to become members of NATO,” he added.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Russian President Vladimir Putin would be “getting more NATO” on his country’s western border.

Johnson said that having two new members in NATO is “a big step for our alliance,” referring to Sweden and Finland.

Regarding a memorandum signed on Tuesday by Türkiye, Sweden and Finland, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said that they welcome Ankara’s “abolition of the veto very positively.”

“Spain is a country that has a Patriot missile defense system in Türkiye. We respect the position of each country, but yesterday a great effort was made to convey the message of unity,” she said.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also welcomed the agreement.

“This is a very, very important thing for us. Both countries fit very well into our alliance,” Scholz said at the summit.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday held separate meetings with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and European Council President Charles Michel on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Madrid.

The closed-door meeting with Macron, which lasted for nearly an hour, marked the beginning of Turkish president’s bilateral contacts at the high-level, three-day summit in the Spanish capital.

Erdogan’s meeting with Michel, held at the IFEMA Convention Center, was also not open to the press. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Communications Director Fahrettin Altun and intelligence service head Hakan Fidan were also present in the meeting.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati said Wednesday he handed his government formation to the country’s President Michel Aoun.

“I have handed President Aoun the cabinet line-up that I see fit,” Mikati told reporters following his meeting with Aoun.

On Tuesday, Mikati concluded his parliamentary consultations with lawmakers regarding the formation of the upcoming government.

The premier-designate voiced hope that he could form a government “that can carry out its duty and deals with the issues of border demarcation with Israel, talks with the International Monetary Fund and deals with the electricity linkage with Egypt, Syria and Jordan.”

Mikati headed the last Lebanese government in September 2021 after a vacuum of 13 months. His government, however, turned into a caretaker capacity in May following the Lebanese parliamentary elections.

Since late 2019, Lebanon has been grappling with a severe economic crisis, including a massive currency depreciation as well as fuel and medical shortages.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday attended a family photo shoot at the NATO summit.

The leaders posed for a family photo following the official welcoming ceremony at the IFEMA Convention Center in Madrid.

Ahead of the photo shoot, Erdogan shook hands with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

In the photograph, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson stood to Erdogan’s right, while Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob stood to his left.

Later, the Turkish president shook hands with his US counterpart Joe Biden, Johnson, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, and Stoltenberg — and exchanged greetings.

The leaders then moved on to the first session on Ukraine.

Source: Anadolu Agency

US President Joe Biden on Wednesday said the US will increase its presence in Europe.

Speaking at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Madrid, Biden said the three-day gathering is a “history making summit” as allies will welcome Finland and Sweden into the 30-member military alliance.

“Their decision to move away from the tradition of neutrality to join NATO allies is going to make us stronger and more secure and NATO stronger,” he said, adding: “We’re sending an unmistakable message that NATO is strong, united and the steps we’re taking during this summit, we’re going to further augment our collective strength.”

Biden said the US will increase the number of troops stationed in Europe.

The number of US Navy destroyers in Spain will also be increased from four to six, and the US will establish permanent headquarters of the US Fifth Army Corps, he added.

According to him, the US will send two additional F-35 squadrons to the UK, and station additional air defense and other capabilities to Germany.

Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin “has shattered peace in Europe,” proving “NATO is needed more than it has ever needed.”

He said “Putin was looking for Finlandization [neutrality under the influence of the Soviet Union] of Europe, but he is going to get NATOization of Europe.”

For his part, Stoltenberg said NATO leaders “will make decisions that will actually change this alliance for many years.”

The alliance will agree on a new strategic concept for more dangerous and competitive world, he added.

The NATO chief said the allies will invite Finland and Sweden to join, which will show that “President Putin has not succeeded in closing the door of NATO. He wants less NATO … is getting more NATO.”

Source: Anadolu Agency

Türkiye’s benchmark stock index opened at 2,492.58 points on Wednesday, increasing 0.09%, or 2.38 points, from the previous close.

Borsa Istanbul’s BIST 100 index fell by 1.54% to close at 2,490.24 points on Tuesday, with a daily trading volume of 36.1 billion Turkish liras ($2.2 billion).

The US dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate rose to 16.6720 as of 09.45 a.m. local time (0645GMT), from 16.6310 at the previous close.

The euro/lira exchange rate increased to 17.4925 from 17.4800, while a British pound traded for 20.3033 Turkish liras, down from 20.3620 at the previous close.

Brent crude oil was sold for around $113.14 per barrel, while the price of an ounce of gold was $1,817.40.

Source: Anadolu Agency