Finnish, Swedish FMs: NATO membership process hasn’t stopped

HELSINKI (AP) — The foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland have reiterated in separate interviews published Saturday that the process for the two Nordic nations to join NATO is continuing. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström acknowledged in an interview with Swedish newspaper Expressen published on Saturday that Turkish anger over recent demonstrations and the burning of the Quran in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm had complicated Sweden’s NATO accession. To admit new countries, NATO requires unanimous approval from its existing members, of which Turkey is one. Despite this, Billström says the Swedish government is hopeful of joining NATO after a July summit in Lithuania.