Sweden supports Turkey's EU bid
Sweden has come out in favour of Turkey's bid to become a member of the European Union.
The Scandinavian country said it "fully supports" Turkey's efforts to join the international organisation, as they already have close relations.
Speaking at a press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt highlighted some of the links between the two nations.
For example, he said almost 400,000 holidaymakers from Sweden visit Turkey each year, while about 100,000 Swedes are currently living in the country full-time.
Mr Reinfeldt commented: "The European Union should expand and Turkey has its place there.
"It's good for Turkey, good for Europe," he added.
This comes after Swedish ambassador Christer Asp called on the Turkish government to keep negotiating membership, despite objections from some quarters.
The diplomat said that Sweden had also faced opposition when it bid to become part of the EU, although it managed to overcome these problems and join the body.
< Back to latest news