The approval of Sweden’s NATO application continues to hover in uncertainty.
But the alliance’s general secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, is confident that Sweden will be approved in the future.
– I assume that Hungary and Turkey will ratify Swedish membership.
The Koran burnings in Stockholm on Wednesday provoked strong reactions from several parts of the world. Among other things, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan condemned the action. “To tolerate such actions is to be complicit,” he wrote on his social media.
President Erdogan’s security adviser Akif Cagatay Kilic wrote on Twitter that “Islamophobic and despicable acts under the guise of freedom of expression are never acceptable.”
At the same time, the Hungarian parliament stated to TV4 Nyheterna on Thursday afternoon that discussions about approving Sweden are also not on next week’s agenda in the parliament.
Despite all this, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is adamant that Sweden should be admitted as soon as possible and assumes that both Hungary and Turkey approve Sweden’s application shortly.
– All NATO countries agreed to invite Sweden to become part of NATO. Hungary was behind that decision last summer. Sweden fulfills all remaining requirements for membership. Therefore, I assume that Hungary and Turkey, which are the two countries that have not ratified the application yet, will do so, says Stoltenberg.
He develops his reasoning:
– I have been clear with my view on it many times. Sweden meets the requirements for membership and Sweden becomes a very important NATO member. It is good for Sweden, it is good for the Nordic countries and it is good for the whole of NATO. We hope that Sweden becomes a member of NATO as soon as possible.
Will talk to Orbán
When Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) was on his way to Thursday’s EU summit in Brussels, he said that he had received no information at all regarding Hungary, but that he was looking forward to exchanging a few words with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
– I have only seen the media information. But I will certainly get a chance to exchange a few words with Viktor Orbán. I will of course ask if the previous announcement from Hungary applies, says Kristersson to a gathered press corps.
The government has previously been hopeful that Sweden will have time to be approved by all the alliance’s members before the summit in Vilnius in July. If it will work, Kristersson does not want to speculate.
– We have previously received information that they should not delay anything with the membership. I have no reason to assume otherwise at this time.