China News Service, May 20 (Reporter Meng Xiangjun) NATO is on the way to the sixth round of expansion. On the 18th local time, the ambassadors of Finland and Sweden submitted the application letters for joining the organization to the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

　　However, at a critical moment, Turkey stood up against the two countries' joining NATO and became a "stumbling block".

Unexpectedly, the United States and NATO have not yet settled Turkey, and they are facing another "roadblock", Croatia.

　　This has led to the "flash joining" that the United States wants to promote may not be as fast as expected.

To this end, the United States and NATO may have to settle these problems patiently, and what kind of variables may they add to the situation?

[Croatia: the de facto first opponent]

　　"It came as suddenly as the spring rain, and no one expected it," said Croatian President Milanovic when asked on May 3 about the possibility of Finland and Sweden joining NATO. , he himself will take part in the Madrid NATO summit in June, veto the "joint" of the two countries.

　　On May 18, Milanovic re-emphasized at a press conference that he intended to instruct Croatia's permanent representative to NATO, Nobilo, to prevent the two countries from "joining the treaty."

　　When talking about Turkey's opposition to Finland and Switzerland joining NATO, Milanovic believes that Turkey is "showing how to fight for national interests".

"Turkey will certainly not budge until it gets what it wants."

On May 18, local time, Swedish Defense Minister Hultquist (left) visited the Pentagon and held a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Austin (right).

Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Mengtong

　　In fact, Milanovic warned NATO before Turkey as early as the end of April, and gave many reasons.

　　1. The "entry into the treaty" between the two countries is equivalent to "provoking Russia" and is a "dangerous routine".

　　This shows that for a small country like Croatia, it does not want to annoy Russia too much and cause the intensification of European geopolitical confrontation.

　　Second, rather than rushing to "join the treaty", European countries should first solve "internal conflicts", such as many problems in the Balkans:

　　· Electoral legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be changed in the interest of Bosnian Croats

　　Self-declared independent Kosovo not recognized

　　Romania and Bulgaria are not part of the Schengen area

　　EU accession talks between Albania and North Macedonia delayed

　　As the former prime minister of Croatia, Milanovic defeated the conservative leader and ascended the presidency in 2020.

He advocated the establishment of a "normal Croatia" to find its own position and interests among European countries.

　　What he "spit out" is the "old and difficult" issues such as the entry of Western Balkan countries into the alliance that existed during his tenure as prime minister.

Croatia, Albania, and North Macedonia all joined NATO with great difficulty, and they are also the "victory results" harvested by NATO's recent rounds of expansion.

You must know that joining NATO requires meeting certain political, economic and military standards, not only to benefit from the organization, but also to make contributions.

Data map: In December 2019, in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, soldiers participated in a military parade.

　　They are all "seal certified" NATO members, why are they treated differently within Europe?

"Predecessors" Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 and are not members of the Schengen area yet, let alone Croatia, which joined two years later.

Back in the day, Finland was among the countries that opposed Romania and Paul joining the Schengen area.

　　In addition, the process of joining the EU with Albania and North Macedonia is very difficult, and the negotiations have been delayed.

How come when you meet Finland and Sweden, you can "expedited" to make something special when you "enter the contract"?

Does this not treat us as "second-class citizens"?

　　As for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country's largest Croatian political party has requested to revise the electoral laws to increase the political participation of the Croat, otherwise it will establish a Croat exclusive zone, which may be equivalent to "semi-independence".

In conclusion, Milanovic noted, "We are asking Finland and Sweden to tell the Americans and let the Americans solve these problems."

[Turkey: How to "give the green light"?

】

　　According to reports from the Russian Satellite News Agency, Turkey’s Sabah Daily, and Bloomberg, Turkey, which also strongly opposes Finland and Switzerland’s “joining the treaty”, has set out about 10 conditions, requiring the two countries and the United States and other NATO members to solve the problems one by one.

　　According to incomplete statistics, these conditions may include:

　　Publicly denounced the PKK and its affiliates, recognizing it as a "terrorist organization"

　　Stop financial support for Kurdish forces and avoid contact with their leadership

　　Stop accepting members of agencies Ankara identifies as terrorist organizations, agrees to extradition requests for 33 "terrorists"

　　Stop the activities of the "Gulen Movement" organized in exile in the United States

　　Settle the dispute between Turkey and Greece over Cyprus

　　Lifting arms embargo on Turkey

　　Lifting sanctions on Turkey for possessing Russian-made S-400 air defense systems

　　Put Turkey back into the F-35 advanced aircraft program

　　Turkey buys dozens of F-16 fighter jets from the United States to upgrade kits for existing fleet

　　Looking at these requirements, they are all closely related to Turkey's vital interests, and it can be said that none of them are trivial.

However, Qatar's Al Jazeera believes that Ankara's deteriorating relations with Western partners over the past few years have brought Turkey and Russia closer.

Without a response to security needs, Turkey's enthusiasm for reshaping its relationship with the West will weaken.

　　This claim is supported by some evidence, such as:

　　First, the West supports the Turkish opposition explicitly and implicitly.

Data map: Turkish military vehicles were attacked by the PKK and set on fire.

　　Although the United States and the European Union have declared that the PKK is a terrorist organization, Sweden has been accused of continuing to provide it with financial and weapons support, refusing to extradite members of the group.

As Erdogan said, "I will not agree to a country that imposes sanctions on Turkey to join NATO", because in 2019, the Turkish army crossed the border into Syria to fight against Kurdish forces, and Sweden participated in the sanctions against Turkey.

　　In addition, the "Gulen Movement" was accused of launching an attempted coup in 2016, threatening the safety of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself.

The leader of the organization, Gulen, has been in exile in the United States, but the United States has rejected Turkey's extradition request.

　　In October 2021, the ambassadors of 10 countries including the United States jointly called on the Turkish authorities to release Kavala, a businessman accused of participating in an attempted coup. Among the 10 Western countries, Finland and Sweden are included.

In response, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned their interference in the Turkish judicial system and declared these ambassadors "persona non grata".

　　Second, the West once wanted to "kick Turkey out of the group".

Data map: The Russian S-400 air defense missile system was unveiled.

　　A few years ago, after purchasing the S-400 air defense system from Russia, Turkey was sanctioned by the West. The United States not only kicked Turkey out of the F-35 advanced aircraft program, but even once asked the Turkish authorities to transfer the S-400 system directly to Ukraine.

　　A CNN commentator analyzed that at that time, "many countries had ideas to kick Turkey out of NATO."

But why not just do it?

　　The comment pointed out that because "few people are willing to risk losing the conventional army in the NATO system second only to the United States, especially this army also controls the strategic Bosphorus Strait and has access to the Black Sea."

　　Third, all kinds of contradictions between the two sides are intertwined.

Turkish President Erdogan.

　　For example, the Biden administration may have closed the door to Erdogan, who visited the United States.

Moreover, in 2021, the Biden administration will rarely turn over the "hundred-year-old account" and find that the Ottoman Turkish government carried out "genocide" on the Armenians during World War I, which made Turkey's anger soar.

　　In addition to the United States, Turkey and Greece are also at odds. Recently, Turkey withdrew from the NATO "Tiger Club" annual air force exercise to be held in Greece.

　　Turkey, which joined NATO in 1952, although a "senior player", has yet to join the EU and has been a "candidate bench" for many years.

In short, today, Erdogan's regime is drifting away from the West.

　　On May 18, Erdogan called on NATO allies to respect and support Turkey's security concerns, saying it was "the only expectation of NATO allies."

However, he believes that now the other side "lacks this attitude".

【United States and NATO: Cheering Victory or Solving Problems?

】

　　According to the regulations, only when all 30 NATO member states "unanimously agree", issue the protocol of acceptance and formally invite, can the process of joining a new country be started.

The British "Financial Times" reported that Turkey has blocked the application of Finland, Sweden to start the review.

Add Croatia, and it will cast doubt on NATO's ability to negotiate a Phase 1 application within a week or two.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg.

　　How should the United States and NATO deal with the dissenting voices?

　　NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg said in an online post that "Turkey is a valuable ally" and that "any security concerns should be taken into account."

However, before this "pacification" could be implemented, it was quickly diluted by the "historic moment" when the two countries received applications for "joining the treaty".

　　In addition, Swedish Foreign Minister Linde came out to "fire the fire" and said that, like Turkey, Sweden also believes that the PKK is a "terrorist organization".

However, this statement was not only criticized by the Swedish opposition as a "submission" to Erdogan, which would "lose some weight" from the Swedish government, but also did not make Turkey buy it.

　　The U.S. has repeatedly downplayed Turkey's resistance, but did not offer a specific solution.

Sullivan, the US President's National Security Adviser, said recently that the US believes that Turkey's concerns "will eventually be eliminated" and that the US, Finland and Switzerland are in direct dialogue with Turkey to reach a consensus.

However, according to Erdogan's previous statement, the current level of efforts by Western countries can only be roughly equal to "don't bother."

US President Biden.

　　On the other hand, U.S. President Biden on the 18th local time expressed his approval for Finland and Switzerland's application to join the "most powerful defense alliance in history", saying that "can't wait" for the two countries to join.

　　Biden pointed out in a written statement that the two Scandinavian countries are "long-term and reliable partners of the United States" and that after joining NATO, in addition to "actively exercising and maintaining a strong presence in the Baltic Sea", they will "enable the Pacific Alliance Benefit".

　　What do you think of this statement?

Maybe a few key words:

　　"The most powerful ever"

　　"Can't wait"

　　"Active Exercise"

　　"Baltic Sea"

　　"Trans-Pacific Alliance"...

　　Combining all aspects, it seems that the US cheers for another imminent expansion of NATO, overriding the emphasis on internal hidden dangers and contradictions.

In a hurry to pull countries into the "chariot", the strategic intentions of the United States have further surfaced.

(Finish)