2023-07-11 14:19:42
It is ‘Global Village Today’ that delivers major news from various countries around the world.
Host) What news do you have today?
Reporter) Turkiye withdraws his opposition to Sweden joining NATO. Israeli protesters occupied highways in protest against the Israeli government’s re-promotion of judicial reform.
Host) This is the first news of the global village today. Türkiye recanted his opposition to Sweden joining NATO?
Reporter) Yes. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged to support Turkey’s Parliament in ratifying Sweden’s accession to NATO as soon as possible. President Erdogan held a three-way meeting with Swedish Prime Minister Wolf Christersson and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Vilnius, Lithuania on the same day (10th), one day before the opening of the NATO summit, and opposed Sweden’s accession to NATO. I withdrew my position.
Moderator) A pretty dramatic announcement came on the eve of the NATO summit, right?
Reporter) Yes. Sweden applied for NATO membership in May last year, along with Finland, another militarily neutral country in Northern Europe. Finland joined NATO as the 31st member in April, but Sweden has so far been unable to join NATO due to Turkey’s opposition. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg was delighted that this NATO summit was ‘historic’ even before it began.
Host) Actually, NATO has been expecting Sweden to announce NATO accession at this summit, right?
Reporter) That’s right. However, even before the trilateral meeting on this day, President Erdogan put Turkey as a condition for joining the European Union, and observations were made that this time again would be difficult. With a dramatic announcement on the eve of the opening day, Sweden’s NATO membership is now in full swing.
Moderator) By the way, isn’t there another country besides Turkey that has not processed the ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession?
Reporter) The Hungarian parliament has yet to process ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership. However, since the Hungarian government has already announced that if Turkiye supports Sweden’s NATO membership, they will follow suit, so Sweden’s NATO membership is now a fait accompli.
Moderator) If Sweden joins NATO, all five Nordic countries will now become NATO members, right?
Reporter) Yes. As Norway, Iceland, and Denmark, as well as Finland and Sweden, come under NATO’s umbrella, it is expected to bring about a major change in the security landscape of Northern Europe. US President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Finland after the NATO summit. We plan to meet with the leaders of these five countries in Helsinki on the 13th.
Moderator) How did President Biden react to Turkey’s withdrawal of opposition?
Reporter) President Biden immediately issued a welcome statement on the 10th and said, “I am ready to work with (Turkey) President Erdogan on strengthening defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic region.” He also said, “I am looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kris Terson and Sweden into the 32nd NATO alliance.” President Biden and President Erdogan are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on the 12th, the second day of the meeting.
Moderator) Previously, you said that Turkey wanted to join the EU. What kind of talk is coming out about this?
Reporter) Yes. Sweden agreed to help Turkey join the EU at a three-party meeting on the 10th. Along with this, Stoltenberg said that he had agreed to help with the reorganization of the customs union between the EU and Turkey and the visa waiver measures. Since the United States is not a member of the EU, it is not directly involved in Turkey’s accession to the EU. A US National Security Council (NSC) official also explained to VOA that the issue is between the EU and Turkey. But the US government has said it has always supported Turkey’s accession to the EU.
Moderator) Sweden’s NATO membership has now become visible. What will happen to Ukraine’s NATO membership?
Reporter) Yes. Ukraine’s accession to NATO is also one of the key agendas of the NATO Summit, which will be held on the 11th and 12th. NATO members are in principle in favor of Ukraine joining NATO. However, opinions are gathering that this is not the time. In the 2008 Bucharest Declaration, NATO stated that it agreed that Ukraine would become a member of NATO in the future.
Host) What is the position of US President Joe Biden on Ukraine’s NATO membership?
Reporter) President Biden is also in the position that Ukraine’s NATO membership is premature. President Biden said in an interview with CNN on the 9th that it would be difficult to obtain unanimous consent from NATO members in a situation where Ukraine is now at war. Article 5 of the NATO Treaty stipulates that if one member country is attacked by an external force, it will be regarded as an attack on all member countries and a collective response will be made. This means that if Ukraine becomes a member of NATO, NATO will automatically intervene in the Ukraine war. It can develop in an escalating fashion.
Host) How is Ukraine reacting to this situation?
Reporter) President Volodymyr Zelensky also announced on the 9th that he would push for NATO membership when the war is over. However, on the 10th, he criticized NATO for not properly preparing the timetable for accepting Ukraine as a member. He also expressed doubts that the issue of Ukraine’s NATO membership might be raised during negotiations with Russia. Ukraine is urging the NATO summit to draw up practical measures to guarantee Ukraine’s NATO membership and specific measures for Ukraine’s security support. President Biden and President Zelensky are scheduled to meet on the 12th.
Host) What is the Russian reaction?
Reporter) Russian Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the 11th that Sweden’s accession to NATO would have a negative impact on Russia’s security. A spokesman for Peskov accused NATO of treating Russia as an “enemy” and warned that it would closely monitor decisions coming out of the NATO summit and take countermeasures to ensure Russia’s security. Peskov also stressed that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be very dangerous for European security and that those making decisions must be aware of it.
On the 11th, Israeli protesters occupy the Tel Aviv-Haifa highway in protest against the government’s re-promotion of the judicial reform bill.
Host) Global village today, the next news. Massive anti-judicial reform protests in Israel?
Reporter) Yes. The opposition is growing as the right-wing coalition led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu re-promotes so-called ‘judicial reform’ legislation. On the 11th, protesters against this occupied major highways in Israel’s largest city, Tel Aviv, and roads leading to Jerusalem, and staged fierce protests.
Moderator) It’s been quite a while since the controversy over Israel’s judicial reform has been raised, hasn’t it?
Reporter) Yes. In January, since Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government first announced the so-called judicial reform bill, which overhauled the judicial system, protests large and small have occurred almost every weekend in Israel. As opposition from the legal community, civil society, and opposition parties intensified, the Netanyahu government took a step back in March, saying it would temporarily delay the legislative process.
Moderator) By the way, did you go into the legislative work again?
Reporter) Yes. Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) held its first reading on the government-sponsored amendment the previous day (10th) and passed the bill. Readings are held three times. If all three gates are passed, the legislative process is complete. As Prime Minister Netanyahu’s coalition holds a majority in the Knesset, it is analyzed that the government is likely to legislate if it pushes with a firm will.
Moderator) What is the goal of the amendment?
Reporter) The key is to reduce the powers of the judiciary. Israel’s Supreme Court has the power to overturn major policy decisions of the government through judicial review if they are judged to be unreasonable. I want to abolish it. Netanyahu’s government argues that the judiciary’s powers are overweight and that the elected powers of the executive are unduly interfering.
Host) Let’s listen to the story of the legal world and the opposition.
Reporter) The legal community and the opposition are strongly criticizing the bill as undermining the democratic principle of checks and balances. Some are protesting that it is an ulterior motive to protect Prime Minister Netanyahu. Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently on trial on charges of corruption, fraud, breach of trust and bribery. Opponents of the bill accused Netanyahu of making a shameful attempt at judicial reform in the name of justice.
What is the position of the US government?
Reporter) The US government urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to reach a broad agreement. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu is unbending his stance that he will carry out his legislation. Israeli business circles and unions have called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to end the chaos immediately, saying the continued protests are having a negative impact on the economy.
Host) I will listen to the global village today.
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