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United States backs Sweden over its dispute with Belarus
Thursday, 09 August 2012
The United States has back Sweden over Swedish stance against human
rights abuses with the in Belarus. The US is itself also worried about
the developments in that country in relations to the right of the
people to freely express themselves
On Wednesday the Swedish foreign office confirmed according to Swedish
television that Belarus has decided to close its embassy in Stockholm.
That is a direct result of the diplomatic conflict between Sweden and
Belarus where the Swedish ambassador in Minsk was expelled from the
country last week.
The political crisis has aroused strong reactions in Sweden and around
Europe. Even the U.S. state Department is deeply concerned about recent
events.
"The United States supports Sweden and other European countries who
want to help the Belarusian people to get a modern, democratic and
prosperous future" announces America's Foreign Ministry spokesman
Patrick Ventrell.
"We once again calls on Belarus to release immediately and recognize
all political prisoners, and to end the repression of civil society and
democratic opposition," said U.S. State Department in a statement
according to AFP, report Swedish television
It was last Friday that the Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt
announced that Belarus had expelled the Swedish Ambassador Stefan
Eriksson, who has been ambassador in Minsk since 2008. The reason was
partly because of Eriksson's previous contacts with the opposition in
Belarus.
In response, Carl Bildt announced that "the proposed new Belarusian
ambassador in Sweden was not welcome here", as a result of the incident.
On Wednesday, then came the news that the Belarus had decided to close
its embassy in Stockholm and Sweden will also be asked to close its
embassy in Minsk in the near future.
"He's acting like the bully. Why things escalate in this way, I do not
know. It's no secret that they were highly annoyed by our democracy
programs for a long time and so their anger over this now has
exploded," said Carl Bildt to the Swedish news agency, TT on
Wednesday.
EU ambassadors in Brussels on Friday will hold a crisis meeting on the
occasion of Belarus' decision to expel all Swedish diplomats.
The aim is to adopt "appropriate measures", said an EU source to AFP, reports Swedish television.
by Scancomark.se Team
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