OSLO, June 1 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday he would soon travel to Turkey to discuss Sweden's NATO membership, in a bid to close a process that has been delayed due to objections from member countries Turkey and Hungary.
Speaking during a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Oslo, Stoltenberg said he had spoken to Tayyip Erdogan earlier this week, who at the weekend won re-election as Turkey's president.
"I will also travel to Ankara in the near future to continue to address how we can ensure the fastest possible accession of Sweden," Stoltenberg told reporters.
"It is time for Turkey and Hungary to start the ratification of Swedish membership to NATO."
Several NATO foreign ministers expressed confidence Sweden could become a member before, or at, a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July.
Persons:
Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden, Tobias Billstrom, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Gwladys Fouche, Sabine Siebold, Terje Solsvik
Organizations:
NATO, Lithuanian, Thomson
Locations:
OSLO, Turkey, Hungary, Oslo, Ankara, Sweden, Swedish, Vilnius, Lithuania