Sweden's new Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson on Wednesday spoke by phone with Turkey's Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the Nordic country struggles to overcome Ankara's blocking of its NATO application.

Kristersson described the call as "constructive", adding on Twitter that he was "looking forward to visit Ankara soon," without providing any details.

Erdogan meanwhile said he would be "happy to welcome Kristersson in Ankara", according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.

Turkey "stands ready to advance the bilateral relations with the Swedish government in all areas", it added in English.

NATO accession is a priority for Sweden's new right-wing government.

After Russia invaded Ukraine, Sweden and neighbouring Finland tore up their longstanding policies of military non-alignment and asked to join the US-led military alliance.

The move has strong backing from most of NATO's members.

But president Erdogan has objected, accusing the Nordic neighbours of harbouring Kurdish militants hostile to Ankara, especially supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

On Wednesday, Kristersson also reiterated that his government would fulfil the "trilateral memorandum," between Sweden, Finland and Turkey.

The memorandum refers to a deal signed by the three states in late June in order for Turkey to allow the formal invitation process to go forward.

The text confirmed that Stockholm and Helsinki consider the PKK to be a "terrorist" organisation. The Nordic nations also pledged not to support various groups which Ankara designates as "terrorist", including the Kurdish armed movement YPG in Syria.

Under the deal with Turkey, Sweden and Finland have also agreed to address Ankara's requests for "terror suspects" to be deported or extradited.

Last week Kristersson announced he was ready to travel to Ankara to meet Erdogan.

Erdogan had swiftly agreed to receive him, but warned that the Turkish parliament would not ratify the two Nordic countries' accession to NATO unless they honoured its extradition demands.

"President Erdogan stressed that it would be of common benefit to prevent Sweden's bilateral relations with (Turkey) and its membership to NATO from being taken hostage by terrorist organisations," the presidency said.

Sweden's foreign minister Tobias Billstrom on Tuesday told AFP that Stockholm would deliver on promises made but stressed this had to be done in "a legally safe way... in line with the constitution".

In August, Stockholm authorised the first extradition to Turkey since the Madrid accord was reached but that case concerned fraud and not "terrorism".

In late September, Swedish authorities lifted a ban on military exports to Turkey, another of Ankara's demands.

To date, 28 of the 30 NATO member states have ratified the accession of Sweden and Finland. Only Hungary and Turkey remain, but new members to the alliance require unanimous approval.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday also announced that he would go to Turkey "in the near future" to discuss Finland and Sweden's pending applications.

NATO chief to go to Turkey over Finland, Sweden membership
Brussels (AFP) Oct 26, 2022 - NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday he would go to Turkey "in the near future" to discuss Finland and Sweden's nearly completed process to join the military alliance.

The trip to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be a sensitive one, as Turkey is, along with Hungary, the last of NATO's 30 countries to ratify the accession protocol that would make Finland and Sweden new members.

The process needs to be unanimous. But Erdogan in early October warned his country would not ratify the two countries' memberships until "the promises" they made were kept.

The two Nordic nations earlier this year ditched their longstanding policies of non-alignment, asking to join NATO because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and how it reshuffled Europe's security.

In June, Turkey, Sweden and Finland struck a deal which included provisions on extraditions and sharing of information.

It addressed Erdogan's main demands that Finland and Sweden cease hosting Kurdish militants outlawed in Turkey which he regards as "terrorists", and hand over Kurds wanted by Ankara.

Stoltenberg, speaking at a media conference after welcoming Romania's prime minister to NATO headquarters, hailed the "close contact" Stockholm and Helsinki now had with Ankara "at all levels".

He said: "I will go to... Istanbul to meet with President Erdogan in the near future myself".

It would follow up on a visit new Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is to make in the coming days.

Stoltenberg also said Hungary "has made it clear" that its parliament would vote on ratification of the accession protocols for Finland and Sweden in the next month or so.

"I'm confident that all allies will ratify the accession protocol," he said.

The NATO chief added, in a veiled warning to Russia, that security guarantees extended to Finland and Sweden pending their membership process continued to apply.

"If there were any kind of pressure against Finland and Sweden, it is inconceivable that the NATO allies should just stand idly by and not react. So we will react if there is any kind of pressure against Finland and Sweden," he said.

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