Sweden ready to strengthen military cooperation with NATO

STOCKHOLM - Sweden intends to conduct a policy aimed at deeper integration with the Alliance in the military sphere. "I believe it will be necessary to sign about 15 acts, and we are witnessing an ever deeper integration of Sweden into NATO in the military sphere," said Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson in relation to the problems of joining the Atlantic Pact. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday that Sweden is ready to resume talks with Turkey on NATO membership, as soon as Ankara is ready as well.

Earlier, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström said that against the backdrop of the burning of the Koran, the kingdom's NATO accession process had been suspended, but expressed hope that agreements can be reached with Ankara at the foreign ministry meeting of the countries of the alliance in Vilnius in July. As a source in Ankara told RIA Novosti earlier, the tripartite mechanism for the accession process of Sweden and Finland to NATO has been suspended indefinitely at the request of the Turkish side.