Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström underlined the need to mobilize efforts to peacefully resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as regional and international powers are seeking to reach a solution that would save what remains of Gaza from the Israeli onslaught.
Billström was in Saudi Arabia for talks with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. The officials discussed several political, regional and international issues, most notably the dangerous escalation between the Israelis and Palestinians.
In an interview to Asharq Al-Awsat, Billström said Sweden and the European Union believe there can be no sustainable alternative to the two-state solution that would allow the Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace and security.
The 2002 Arab peace initiative is very important to resolving this crisis, he added.
He said he was very happy to have visited Saudi Arabia as it allowed him to hold bilateral talks with Prince Faisal. Saudi Arabia is a strategic partner to Sweden and one of its most important trade partners in the Middle East.
Sweden is discussing with its Saudi partners the situation in Gaza, peace efforts in Yemen, the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the conflict in Syria, he revealed.
Billström welcomed the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, saying the agreement, if implemented with good intentions by Tehran, will reflect very positively on the security and stability of the region.
He added that he congratulated Prince Faisal on this bold move, remarking that Sweden will be closely monitoring the developments.
Asked about the escalation in Gaza and the preceding American efforts to improve Arab-Israeli relations, the FM replied that these efforts could potentially have a positive impact on the stability of the region.
The normalization of relations between countries is always a positive step, he stressed.
The violent escalation between Israel and Palestine underscores the importance of searching for peaceful solutions to conflicts in the Middle East, he stated.
On accusations that Sweden was promoting Islamophobia in the world in wake of the burnings of the holy Quran and violation of Muslim rights, Billström emphasized that the Swedish government is firm in strongly rejecting all forms of intolerance, racism or Islamohpobia.
Stockholm is fully aware that Muslims in Sweden, Islamic countries and across the globe were greatly insulted by the Quran burnings, he said.
Rest assured, Sweden will be at the forefront of countries that fight Islamophobia, stressed the FM, noting that Muslims make up nearly 10 percent of its population.
Asked about why Sweden “turns a blind eye” to Quran burnings, he explained that the constitution protects freedom of expression and the right to hold rallies and gatherings.
Moreover, he said Swedish police are responsible for issuing permits to hold rallies, but they don’t have the authority to approve or object to gatherings that are aimed at desecrating religious books and texts.
The organizers alone are responsible for what takes place during the rallies, he clarified.
He also revealed that several criminal probes are being carried out over possible hate crimes.
Furthermore, Billström acknowledged the outrage across the Islamic world over the Quran burnings. He said that he has met and held talks with several ministers and officials from Islamic countries in recent months to clarify the situation.
Throughout the meetings, the FM sought to underline the Swedish government and majority of the Swedish people’s strong opposition to such offensive acts. He also explained the constitutional and legal conditions that allow such rallies to be held.
The government has since tasked a committee with revising laws related to obtaining permits to hold public gatherings, he added. In the meantime, he stressed the need to prevent seditionists from driving a wedge between Muslims and non-Muslims.
