Path smoothed for NATO newcomers

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Finland and Sweden moved a step closer to joining NATO on Tuesday after the military alliance's 30 member states agreed to an accession protocol for them in Brussels.
The move came after representatives of the member states gave their endorsement at last week's NATO summit in Madrid following an agreement between the two countries and Turkey, which had earlier voiced its strong objections by citing the Nordic countries' support for terrorist groups such as the Kurdish Workers' Party.
With Tuesday's signing of the protocol in the Belgian capital, it will now be up to the parliaments of all NATO member states to ratify the agreement before the two countries become formal members, a process that is expected to take several months or up to a year.
Right after the signing ceremony, Canada became the first NATO member to formally ratify the application.
For now, Finland and Sweden will not be protected by NATO's defense clause, which states that an attack on one member is an attack on all. But the two countries can attend NATO meetings and have greater access to intelligence.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday called the move "truly a historic moment".
"With 32 nations around the table, we will be even stronger. And our people will be even safer, as we face the biggest security crisis in decades," said Stoltenberg, referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, at the start of the signing ceremony.
Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said: "As a future member of the alliance, Sweden will contribute to the security of all allies. We are convinced that our membership will strengthen NATO and add to the stability in the Euro-Atlantic area."
Her Finnish counterpart, Pekka Haavisto, said: "Together we are stronger."