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Swedish foreign minister attacks Belarus for expelling ambassador

The expulsion of the Swedish ambassador to Belarus is a serious breach of the norms for relations between states, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt says in a statement posted on the ministry's website on Friday.

"The accusations directed at the Ambassador by the regime are without foundation," Mr. Bildt says. "That Sweden is broadly committed to democracy and human rights in Belarus is no secret, and Ambassador Eriksson has represented this Swedish policy in a creditable and important way."

According to Mr. Bildt, the Swedish foreign ministry has informed other EU countries about this matter, and he has spoken to Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, about it earlier on Friday.

"Ambassador Eriksson will continue his work with an even clearer focus on the work for democracy and human rights in Belarus," Mr. Bildt says. "We will also, in consultation with other EU countries, examine ways to further strengthen these efforts."

The Belarusian embassy will be informed during the day that the proposed new Belarusian ambassador is not welcome in Stockholm, and that the residence permits of two of its representatives will be withdrawn, Mr. Bildt says.

In an interview with BelaPAN, Andrey Savinykh, spokesman for the Belarusian foreign ministry, noted that Mr. Eriksson had been denied an extension of his accreditation and not expelled. "He has worked in Belarus for about seven years, which is a long period," Mr. Savinykh said. "However, all his activities have been aimed at destroying Belarusian-Swedish relations and not developing them."