Sweden hopes the dispute with Turkey will be resolved as soon as possible, and at best before the NATO summit in Madrid tomorrow.

This was stated by the Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson after a meeting with the Secretary General of the Alliance Jens Stoltenberg, BTA reported.

I very much hope that we will successfully complete the negotiations very soon, at best - before tomorrow's meeting, Anderson said in a joint statement with Stoltenberg after their joint meeting at the pact's headquarters in Brussels.

She said she had contacted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the conversation was "good and constructive".

We want to reach a solution to the issue with Turkey together with NATO and Finland, added the Swedish Prime Minister.

We strongly condemn terrorism in every form and manifestation, Anderson said.

She added that the Kurdish PKK party has been declared a terrorist organization by the EU and that Sweden also perceives it that way.

According to her, Sweden is making legislative changes, including the forthcoming amendment to the constitution, to step up the fight against terrorism.

She assured that Sweden will not be a protector for terrorists, will work for the speedy return of those arrested, and that requests for extradition are considered in accordance with the law.

Stoltenberg said he also spoke with Erdogan, and that a meeting between the Turkish president and representatives of Sweden and Finland is scheduled before the meeting in Madrid, whose applications for NATO membership are met with dissatisfaction with Ankara.

We are working very actively on the next steps, he added.

According to him, Turkey's concerns are justified and must be taken into account.

Erdogan meets with the leaders of Sweden and Finland before the NATO summit

Turkey

NATO

Jens Stoltenberg

Sweden

Magdalena Anderson