'Turkish Parliament to make decision on Sweden NATO bid in fall'
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks to reporters following a cabinet meeting in Ankara, July 24, 2023. (AA Photo)


President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the Turkish Parliament has the final say on approval of Sweden's NATO membership bid and would make its decision when the legislative sessions resume.

Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, Erdoğan said Türkiye will fulfill its responsbility once the parliament resumes from a summer recess in the fall.

"We will do our part when the parliament resumes," he said.

Erdoğan agreed to back Sweden's NATO bid, and said would forward it to the Turkish Parliament, after a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the Swedish leader in Vilnius, Lithuania, earlier in July.

Stockholm reassured Türkiye that it would not support terrorist organizations PKK/YPG and the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) in the aftermath of its NATO membership and that a new bilateral security mechanism will be created between Ankara and Stockholm.

NATO will also establish a Special Coordinator on Counterterrorism for the first time, in the bloc's history.

Meanwhile, Erdoğan said Türkiye does not have any problems with any countries that cannot be solved through dialogue and diplomacy.

"We believe that misunderstandings can be overcome through dialogue and diplomacy," he said, adding that Türkiye hopes to see positive developments regarding its relations with the European Union.

The president also said Türkiye is ready to do whatever it can to help Greece fight back its wildfires.

"We sent two amphibious firefighting aircraft and a firefighting helicopter to our neighbor Greece, (which is) struggling with a huge fire," Erdoğan said.

While quickly responding to fires in Türkiye, Erdoğan said the country is also rushing to help out other countries in need.

"We convey our best wishes to our Greek neighbors, especially the people of Rhodes," he added, referring to the island off southwestern Türkiye, which has had to evacuate tens of thousands amid days of wildfires.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Saturday thanked Türkiye for assistance, as it has struggled to fight raging wildfires since last week.

Devastating wildfires continue to sweep through the Greek islands for the sixth consecutive day, including Rhodes, a tourist hotspot. Several countries, including Türkiye, have reached out to help Greece in extinguishing the blazes, which have burned houses and forests.