Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s latest feedback about his nation’s lack of ability to fulfill Turkey’s calls for relating to NATO membership are all a “misunderstanding,” he clarified on Wednesday.

Kristersson mentioned final week that Turkey — which has but to ratify Sweden’s bid to affix NATO — “need issues we are able to’t and don’t wish to give them.”

However chatting with reporters in Stockholm, the prime minister mentioned that Sweden had moved to strengthen laws on counter-terrorism — a key demand of Turkey which needs people to be extradited from Sweden. Discussions are “going very effectively,” he mentioned.

“We’re doing precisely what we promised to do, that isn’t least within the subject of combating terrorism,” Kristersson instructed reporters in Stockholm. “I believe that has been one of many core duties — to strengthen the Swedish laws on counter-terrorism, recognizing the truth that actions on Swedish soil will be harmful for different nations, will be geared toward others nations, and likewise recognizing the truth that Turkey has been one of many nations harm probably the most by terrorism.”

However he additionally warned of limits to what Sweden can do with regards to extraditing people to Turkey.

“Turkey typically names folks that they wish to have extradited from Sweden and it’s well-known that Swedish laws on that … may be very clear: that courts [make] these selections, there isn’t any room for altering that,” he mentioned. “I don’t suppose that ought to shadow the truth that issues are going effectively.”

A Swedish court docket final month blocked the extradition of Bülent Keneş, an exiled Turkish journalist who was recognized by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as one particular person Sweden needed to extradite in change of Ankara’s NATO inexperienced mild.

In a marked change of tone from the feedback he made on January 8 at a Swedish safety and protection convention, Kristersson mentioned that he additionally revered the home issues of every NATO member with regards to increasing the alliance.  

“We’ve the fullest respect for the truth that Turkey, in addition to each different of the 30 NATO nations, are making their home selections on whether or not to ratify or not.” However he added that Sweden has “very sturdy assist from nations.”

Sweden and Finland are poised to turn out to be NATO’s latest members after the alliance backed their membership bid at a summit final June in Madrid.