Erdogan-If US Keeps Promise On F-16s GNA Will Do Same On Sweden NATO Bid

Wires carrying comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stating that the US administration is linking the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara with Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership bid. Erdogan states that if the US keeps its promise, the Grand National Assembly (parliament) will keep its promise on Sweden's NATO bid. However, Erdogan also states that the decision and its timing are down to the GNA, not his office.

• Recent comments from Erdogan have raised concerns in Stockholm and Brussels that Turkey could step back from the deal reached with Sweden at the NATO summit in July. EU Observer: "[Erdogan] is now creating fresh uncertainty, by saying the US should first sell him F-16 warplanes and that Sweden stops Kurdish "terrorists" from holding anti-Turkish rallies." For its part, Sweden has stated that it will not alter the July agreement.
• Separately, Erdogan indicates that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu could visit Turkey in the near future, stating "I think Netanyahu's visit to Turkey, which was postponed due to illness, will take place around October-November, and negotiations are continuing to hold it at the most appropriate time." The visit comes after the first everin-person meeting between the two long-serving leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA. The two nations have recently shown signs of rapprochement amid efforts to boost drillingfor hydrocarbons in the East Med.