NATO chief to Erdogan: Sweden 'has fulfilled obligations' for membership
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday called on Ankara to drop its opposition to Sweden's bid to join the defence alliance, saying Stockholm has addressed Turkey's security concerns.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday called on Ankara to drop its opposition to Sweden's bid to join the defence alliance, saying Stockholm has addressed Turkey's security concerns.
"Sweden has taken significant concrete steps to meet Turkey's concerns," Stoltenberg told reporters after meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Sweden has fulfilled its obligations."
Stoltenberg attended on Saturday the inauguration of Erdogan, who was re-elected to serve another five years, in a lavish ceremony joined by dozens of world leaders in the capital Ankara.
NATO member Turkey has dragged its feet over admitting Sweden to the military alliance. It and Hungary are the only two member countries yet to ratify the membership bid.
Finland formally joined the alliance in April.
Erdogan has accused Sweden of being a haven for "terrorists", especially members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group blacklisted by Turkey and its Western allies.
READ ALSO: Nato chief to travel to Ankara to push for Sweden's Nato membership
Turkey and Sweden will hold another meeting on Sweden's NATO application in mid-June, Stoltenberg also announced. "We have agreed that the parties will meet again during the week that begins on June 12th," the NATO chief said.
When asked if he believes that Sweden will be included as a full NATO member at the alliance's next summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on July 11th and 12th, Stoltenberg replied that "there is still time to make it happen."
Earlier on Sunday, a demonstration against Swedish entry into NATO was held in Stockholm where PKK flags were flown.
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NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday called on Ankara to drop its opposition to Sweden's bid to join the defence alliance, saying Stockholm has addressed Turkey's security concerns.
"Sweden has taken significant concrete steps to meet Turkey's concerns," Stoltenberg told reporters after meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "Sweden has fulfilled its obligations."
Stoltenberg attended on Saturday the inauguration of Erdogan, who was re-elected to serve another five years, in a lavish ceremony joined by dozens of world leaders in the capital Ankara.
NATO member Turkey has dragged its feet over admitting Sweden to the military alliance. It and Hungary are the only two member countries yet to ratify the membership bid.
Finland formally joined the alliance in April.
Erdogan has accused Sweden of being a haven for "terrorists", especially members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), a group blacklisted by Turkey and its Western allies.
READ ALSO: Nato chief to travel to Ankara to push for Sweden's Nato membership
Turkey and Sweden will hold another meeting on Sweden's NATO application in mid-June, Stoltenberg also announced. "We have agreed that the parties will meet again during the week that begins on June 12th," the NATO chief said.
When asked if he believes that Sweden will be included as a full NATO member at the alliance's next summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on July 11th and 12th, Stoltenberg replied that "there is still time to make it happen."
Earlier on Sunday, a demonstration against Swedish entry into NATO was held in Stockholm where PKK flags were flown.
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