World

NATO edges closer to expansion as Finland wins over holdouts

Turkey and Hungary both signaled they plan to ratify Finland’s entry into NATO, bringing the military alliance a step closer to welcoming its 31st member as the ripples from

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spread across the European security landscape.

“We’ve decided to start the process for the approval of Finland’s membership in our parliament,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a news conference Friday together with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinisto in Ankara. He added he hoped to complete the approval process for Finland by May 14 elections due in Turkey.

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Meanwhile, Hungary plans to approve the Finnish entry March 27, Fidesz parliamentary leader Mate Kocsis said in a Facebook post. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has continually delayed a parliamentary vote in contrast with his statements of support for NATO’s enlargement.

The stance taken by Turkey and Hungary decouples the Nordic countries’ bids to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, filed in May to deter any Russian aggression following its invasion of Ukraine. The comments cast further doubt on the timeline for Sweden’s accession.

“Progress on Sweden’s bid depends on steps it will take,” Erdogan said. Hungary also said it will decide on Sweden’s membership at a later date.

“I have a feeling that Finnish NATO membership is not complete without Sweden,” Niinisto said. “We have so much common interest having been neighbors and having the

Baltic sea area on our shore. So, I would like to see in Vilnius that we will meet as the alliance of 32 members.”

The US has pushed for the fast ratification of both Nordic nations’ entry and most allies want the northern enlargement completed by the bloc’s upcoming summit in July. In a statement on Friday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the US welcomes Erdogan’s announcement and encourages Turkey to back Sweden too.

“Sweden and Finland are both strong, capable partners that share NATO’s values and will strengthen the Alliance and contribute to European security,” Sullivan said. He also urged Hungary to complete ratification for the two countries.

Finland’s membership is set to enable the alliance to start securing the area around the Baltic Sea in defense of its Baltic members, which are often seen as potential targets of Russian aggression.

Russian Border

Including Finland in the alliance would double the length of NATO’s border with Russia, which now comprises just 6 percent of Russia’s land perimeter. It would enable the alliance to improve its surveillance of Russia’s western flank with the help of Finland’s well-trained military, which already uses weapons compatible with the alliance.

Turkey is effectively deferring a decision on Sweden’s membership bid until after its new anti-terrorism laws go into force in June. “We’ve no different stance toward Sweden.

But Sweden has opened its arms to terrorists,” Erdogan said.

“We’ve relayed names of 120 terrorists to them but they could not extradite them to us,” Erdogan said. “Since they could not give them to us, it is not possible for us to look positively to Sweden. That’s why we had to separate Sweden from Finland.”

Silver Lining

For Sweden, the solo entry of its eastern neighbor is a setback with a silver lining. While it adds to uncertainty over completing Sweden’s accession, it still introduces a NATO buffer between Stockholm and Moscow.

“Sweden has security guarantees from the US and the UK and other countries, so from a pure military perspective it’s not the end of the world, but it’s a pretty sad look,” said

Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow for foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute.

For NATO, the separation of the Nordic bids complicates defense planning. While the alliance’s northern enlargement is set to improve its ability to defend the three Baltic states, Sweden acts as a key supply route and brings depth to the defenses of Finland.

Security Landscape

Finland guards a border with Russia roughly 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) long and has a reserve of 900,000 troops thanks to a conscription-based system that wasn’t dismantled after the Cold War ended. It’s able to deploy about a third of them in war time — more than many much larger European nations.

NATO’s expansion underscores the drastic transformation of the European security landscape after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022 prompted Germany to abandon its postwar reticence over defense spending and embark on a massive revamp of its military.

Holding up Turkey’s approval of Sweden is a perception that the biggest Nordic country has not done enough to crack down on groups Ankara calls terrorist.

What initially began as an opportunity for Erdogan to air disappointment with NATO and European allies’ contribution to its fight with groups including the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, later centered on Stockholm’s failures. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union and the US.

Erdogan was particularly incensed by protests in January that saw an effigy of his likeness suspended upside down publicly and a Koran burnt outside the Turkish Embassy in the Swedish capital.

Sweden has since prevented at least two Koran burnings and put forward an anti-terrorism law that’s been long in the works. That’s due to enter into force on June 1 and could help Turkey move ahead with its ratification.

With many allies having set the mid-July Vilnius summit as a target date, Braw at the American Enterprise Institute said that a failure to bring Sweden in beforehand would mean “the momentum is somehow lost.

“Once that summit has come and gone, it’s just harder for all parties involved to drum up a sense of urgency again,” Braw said, adding that “also domestically in Sweden, it’ll be difficult to give a reason why things should happen quickly.”

Majority in neutral Switzerland back closer ties with NATO

US urges Turkey to allow NATO expansion as officials set to meet

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM