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Saudi Arabia, UAE summon Swedish ambassdors, deliver protests

Xinhua, March 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday summoned the Swedish ambassadors in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi to protest against Sweden's criticism of Saudi Arabia's record on human rights.

In January, Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom tweeted criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record. On March 9, Saudi Arabia blocked a plan for Wallstrom to address the Arab League meeting in Cairo in a protest over her criticism.

In response, on March 10, Sweden said it would not renew a long-time arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Last Wednesday, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador to Sweden.

A source at Saudi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the kingdom considered the offensive remarks by Swedish foreign minister as a blatant interference in its internal affairs, according to Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammed Gargash delivered a formal protest to the Swedish ambassador in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, following the "abusive remarks against Saudi Arabia," state news agency WAM reported.

Last Thursday, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) also denounced the remarks by the Swedish foreign minister as "interference in the kingdom's internal affairs." Endit