DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Spain, Ireland and Norway have recognized Palestinian statehood. Where does Europe stand on the issue?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-28 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Spain, Ireland and Norway formally recognized Palestinian statehood on Tuesday, cementing a joint move that further isolates Israel over its war against Hamas in Gaza. The move also highlights just how split Europe is on whether to recognize Palestinian statehood. Spain, Ireland and NorwayThe move by these three countries to recognize Palestinian statehood in tandem sent an impactful message to Israel, and other Western states. Western EuropeIn 2014, Sweden became the first major Western European nation to recognize Palestinian statehood. “The path of symbolic recognition of statehood is not the way forward.”Eastern EuropeOfficially, a number of countries that previously fell under the Soviet sphere of influence in eastern Europe recognize Palestinian statehood.

Persons: Simon Harris, “, Harris, Ireland “, ”, Netanyahu, Israel, ” Harris, Espen Barth Eide, Pedro Sánchez, Israel Katz, ” “, ” Katz, Margot Wallstrom, Olaf Scholz, ” Scholz, Robert Golob, Golob, Palestine ” Organizations: CNN —, Palestinian, Gaza . Irish, United, Ireland, CNN, Palestine, Swedish, UN, Assembly, Reuters, Europe Officially, Soviet Locations: CNN — Spain, Ireland, Norway, Israel, Gaza ., Europe, United Nations, Eastern, Spain, Palestine, Gaza, Norwegian, Madrid, Palestinian, Iran, Sweden, France, Belgium, Poland, Greece, Denmark, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, States, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ramallah, Argentina, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, United States

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — With Turkey completing its ratification of Sweden's bid to join NATO, Hungary is the last member of the military alliance not to have given its approval. Orbán has long promised that Hungary wouldn't be the last NATO member to ratify Sweden's request to join the alliance. Yet Orbán's critics say that there is no such schism within his party, and that when it comes to Hungary's approval of Sweden's NATO membership, Orbán alone is in control. Hungary's opposition parties, which favor Sweden's membership in NATO, have made several attempts over the past year to schedule a vote on the matter. “Anybody who believed that it’s in the hands of the governing party lawmakers was seriously mistaken,” she said.

Persons: Viktor Orbán, Orbán, Hungary wouldn't, —, Agnes Vadai, parliament's, It’s, ”, he'd, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson hasn't, Tobias Billström, Budapest hasn't, he’d, Jens Stoltenberg, Dorka, Kristersson, “, ” Vadai, Vladimir Putin, Vadai, Orbán's Organizations: —, Turkey, NATO, Central European, Fidesz, European Union, Democratic Coalition, Ministry of Defense, Hungary, Centre, Integration Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Budapest, Sweden, Turkey, Stockholm, Swedish, Ukraine, NATO

☆ NATO Accession Looks to Be 'Not a Priority' for Sweden, Hungary Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Sweden has not done anything to boost confidence in its suitability for NATO membership, and has given the impression that joining the alliance is not a priority for the country, an aide to Hungary's prime minister said on Thursday. Sweden applied to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in May 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine but the accession process, which requires the approval of all existing members, has been held up by Turkey and Hungary. Gulyas suggested that Sweden's foreign minister or prime minister should "get in touch and ask what concerns the Hungarian parliament has" about Sweden's NATO accession. Replying to a reporter's question, he said Hungary wanted to avoid being the last country to ratify Sweden's NATO accession, but "we will probably not manage to do so without Sweden's help. The Turkish parliament's general assembly may debate Sweden's NATO membership bid in the coming weeks, the ruling AK Party's parliamentary group chairman said last week.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Gulyas, Gergely Szakacs, Anita Komuves, Marie, Alex Richardson Organizations: NATO, Atlantic Treaty Organization, Nordic, Turkish, AK, Marie Mannes Locations: BUDAPEST, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkey, Hungary, Swedish, Moscow, Budapest, Stockholm

☆ Sweden Says Swedish National Arrested in Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - A Swedish man in his twenties was arrested in Iran earlier this month and is being held in custody, the Swedish foreign ministry said on Monday. However, relations between Sweden and Iran have been tense since 2019 when Sweden arrested a former Iranian official for his part in the mass execution and torture of political prisoners in the 1980s. The Foreign Ministry is in contact with relatives in Sweden," the ministry told Reuters in an email. Iran, in late December, said it would keep seeking the release of the former Iranian official sentenced to life in prison in Sweden. Earlier in December, Iran began the trial of a Swedish national, Johan Floderus, a European Union employee who has been imprisoned since April 2022.

Persons: Johan Floderus, Ulf Kristersson, Johannes Birkebaek, Christina Fincher Organizations: Reuters, Foreign, Iranian, European Union, Swedish Locations: Iran, Swedish, Sweden, Tehran, Israel

☆ Turkey expects to ratify Sweden accession to NATO 'within weeks', Swedish minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom ahead of the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, November 28, 2023. SAUL LOEB/Pool via REUTERS/ File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Turkey has said it expects to ratify Sweden's long-delayed accession to NATO within weeks, Sweden's foreign minister told journalists on Wednesday. Some in the Western defence bloc had hoped Sweden's ratification would be completed by now for an accession ceremony to take place on the sidelines of the Brussels meeting. "The Turkish foreign minister (Hakan Fidan) didn't present a date but said 'within weeks'. He expected the ratification of Sweden's NATO protocol to be made within weeks.

Persons: Hakan Fidan, Tobias Billstrom, SAUL LOEB, Tayyip Erdogan, Finland's, Billstrom, Ingrid Melander, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Turkish, Swedish, NATO, NATO Headquarters, Rights, Kurdistan Workers, European Union, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights BRUSSELS, Turkey, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Ankara, United States, Stockholm, Turkish

☆ Sweden expects Hungary and Turkey to approve its NATO accession
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSweden expects Hungary and Turkey to approve its NATO accessionSwedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told CNBC on Wednesday that Hungary's foreign minister had promised that his country would not be the last nation to ratify Sweden's accession to NATO.

Persons: Tobias Billstrom Organizations: NATO, Swedish, CNBC Locations: Hungary, Turkey

No decision on a ground offensive has been announced, although Israel has been massing troops along the Gaza border 3. Israeli military spokesman Read Adm. Daniel Hagari said Saturday Israel had so far identified 126 captives. GERMANY TO START EVACUATING CITIZENS FROM ISRAELBERLIN — The German army will start evacuating its citizens from Israel with military airplanes. Hezbollah said its fighters struck several Israeli military positions in the disputed Chebaa Farms and Kfar Chouba hills in the afternoon. ISRAELI MILITARY ANNOUNCES IT IS PREPARED FOR ‘COORDINATED’ OFFENSIVEJERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it has prepared a “coordinated” offensive in the Gaza Strip involving air, ground and naval forces.

Persons: Israel, Lloyd Austin, “, Israel —, ”, Yifat Zailer, Zailer, Read, Daniel Hagari, Hezbollah’s, Ali Youssef Alaaeddine, Alaaeddine, ERDOGAN'S, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bilal Erdogan, Suleyman Soylu, Mustafa Sentop, ” Erdogan, Sentop, Khalil Hachem, Rabad Akoum, ” Israel, Ismail Haniyeh, ” Haniyeh, Haniyeh, Mohammad Abu Selim, Medhat Abbas, Hakan Fidan, Sameh Shoukry, IT'S, ROME —, “ We’ve, Antonio Tajani, Tajani, —, ” Tajani, TT, Tobias Billström, Elina Valtonen, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Saleh Arouri, Ziad Nakhaleh, Amirabdollahian Organizations: United Nations, Gaza, United States Defense, TEL, ISRAEL BERLIN —, Hamas, Lufthansa, BEIRUT —, Associated Press, AP, Ministry, Sunday, South, MEDIA, BEIRUT, National News Agency, OFFICIAL, EGYPT BEIRUT —, OF, Gaza —, Shifa, Health Ministry, FROM, Romania — Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel, NORDIC, FROM ISRAEL HELSINKI, Nordic, Helsinki Airport, Iran’s, Manar, Islamic, Hezbollah Locations: Gaza City, Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Israeli, Lebanon, ISRAEL, SYRIA, TEL AVIV, Syria, Golan, GERMANY, Germany, Jordan, BEIRUT, Palestinian, ISTANBUL ISTANBUL, Istanbul, United States, Tel Aviv, Dubai, South, Lebanese, Chebaa, Kfar Chouba, JERUSALEM, EGYPT BEIRUT, GAZA, Shifa, FROM ISRAEL, TURKEY, ISTANBUL, Turkish, Embassy, Turkey, BUCHAREST, Romania, Romanian Embassy, ITALY, ROME, Italian, Rome, FINNS, Finland, Sweden, Helsinki, Stockholm, Swedish, Stockholm’s Arlanda, Beirut, Hezbollah’s, Amirabdollahian, Iran, Iraq, Jihad

☆ Swedish foreign minister still hopeful Turkey will ratify NATO bid in Oct
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Swedish and NATO flags are seen printed on paper this illustration taken April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSTOCKHOLM, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Swedish foreign minister said on Friday he remained hopeful that Turkey will ratify Sweden's planned NATO membership when the Turkish parliament reconvenes in October, as agreed with President Tayyip Erdogan at a summit of the alliance in July. Sweden applied for NATO membership last year in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and most alliance members quickly ratified its bid. After months of pressure, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said after a NATO summit in Vilnius in July he would forward the ratification of Sweden's NATO bid to parliament in October when it reconvenes after the summer break. Tensions with Turkey have also been heightened by demonstrations in Sweden where protesters have burned copies of the Koran, enraging many Muslims.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Sweden's, reconvenes, Tayyip Erdogan, Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Simon Johnson, Terje Solsvik Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Turkish, U.S . Congress, Kurdistan Workers Party, Thomson Locations: Rights STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Turkey, Vilnius, Sweden, Ukraine, Turkiye, Ankara

☆ Sweden to present security measures amid Koran burning crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OSLO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - The Swedish government said on Tuesday it would present measures to protect its citizens amid growing concerns in both Sweden and Denmark that the Koran burning crisis could lead to attacks. Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Justice Minister Gunnar Stromer will on Tuesday hold a press conference to discuss the security situation and present "measures to protect Swedish citizens", the government said without providing detail. It also said in a statement after the meeting ended that it called upon member states to take appropriate action, whether political or economic, in countries where the Koran is being desecrated. After the meeting, the Danish and Swedish foreign ministers separately wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that they would continue their dialogue with the OIC. Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, Gunnar Stromer, Terje Solsvik, Lincoln Organizations: Nordic, Police Security, Intelligence Service, Monday, DR, of Islamic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: OSLO, Swedish, Sweden, Denmark, Danish

COPENHAGEN/STOCKHOLM, July 31 (Reuters) - Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday he hoped the government's proposal to limit Koran burnings in the country would help de-escalate a growing international conflict with several Muslim countries. Denmark and Sweden have seen several protests in recent weeks where copies of the Koran have been burned, or otherwise damaged, prompting outrage in Muslim countries, which have demanded the Nordic governments put a stop to the burnings. The Nordic countries have deplored the burnings of the Koran but cannot prevent it under constitutional laws protecting freedom of speech. However, both governments have now said they are considering legal changes that would allow authorities to prevent further burnings in special situations. Reporting by Nikolaj Skydsgaard in Copenhagen and Johan Ahlander in Stockholm; editing by David EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Rasmussen, Tobias Billstrom, islamophobic, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Johan Ahlander, David Evans Organizations: Danish, Nordic, of Islamic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN, STOCKHOLM, Denmark, Sweden, Swedish, Copenhagen, Stockholm

Even so, Koran burnings took place in both countries on Monday. In Denmark, anti-Muslim protesters burned the Koran outside the Saudi Arabian embassy in Copenhagen, with several more planned for later in the day. The Nordic countries have deplored the burnings of the Koran but cannot prevent it under constitutional laws protecting freedom of speech. OIC foreign ministers convened in an extraordinary session on Monday to discuss the recent developments where it strongly condemned the Koran burnings. The foreign ministries of Denmark and Sweden were not immediately available for comment after the OIC meeting had ended.

Persons: Rasmussen, Tobias Billstrom, Islamophobic, Nikolaj Skydsgaard, Johan Ahlander, Moaz Abd, Alaziz, Adam Makary, Marie Mannes, David Evans, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Nordic, Saudi, of Islamic Cooperation, OIC, Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN, STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Denmark, Stockholm, Iraqi, Saudi Arabian, Copenhagen, Swedish

STOCKHOLM, July 27 (Reuters) - Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is "extremely worried" about the consequences if more demonstrations go ahead in which the Koran is desecrated, he said on Thursday, amid growing Muslim anger at a series of attacks on Islam's holy book. Kristersson told Swedish news agency TT that further requests had been filed with police for permission to hold protests where desecration of the Koran was again planned. Sweden's embassy in Baghdad was stormed and set ablaze on July 20 by protesters angered by a planned Koran burning. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson addresses the media ahead of a NATO leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania July 11, 2023. Members of Sweden Democrats, the biggest party on the right, have repeatedly warned about the "Islamization" of Swedish society and called for immigrants to adopt "Swedish" values.

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, Charlotte von Essen, Ints, Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Johan Ahlander, Simon Johnson, Terje Solsvik, William Maclean Organizations: Atlantic Treaty Organization, TT, Swedish, NATO, REUTERS, United Nations, of Islamic, Sweden Democrats, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Sweden, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine, Sweden's, Baghdad, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon

☆ Sweden temporarily moves Iraq embassy staff after storming
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Emilie MadiSTOCKHOLM, July 21 (Reuters) - Seconded staff and operations at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad have been relocated temporarily to Stockholm for security reasons after it was stormed by protesters, the Swedish Foreign Ministry said on Friday. Iraq expelled the Swedish ambassador on Thursday in protest at a planned burning of the Koran in Stockholm that had prompted hundreds of protesters to attack and vandalise the embassy in the Iraqi capital. A Sweden foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday that the staff and operations would temporarily move to Stockholm for security reasons but declined to give further comment. "What has happened is completely unacceptable and the government strongly condemns these attacks," Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said in a statement on Thursday. Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen in Copenhagen and Johan Ahlander in Stockholm, editing by Anna RingstromOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Emilie Madi STOCKHOLM, Tobias Billstrom, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Johan Ahlander, Anna Ringstrom Organizations: REUTERS, Swedish Foreign, Iraq, Thomson Locations: Sweden, Beirut’s, Lebanon, Swedish, Baghdad, Stockholm, Copenhagen

☆ Swedish embassy in Baghdad stormed, set alight over Quran burning plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather for a protest outside the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 20, 2023. Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad early on Thursday, scaling its walls and setting it ablaze in protest against the expected burning of a Quran in Sweden. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said embassy staff were safe but that Iraqi authorities had failed in their responsibility to protect the embassy in accordance with the Vienna Convention. Swedish police denied several applications earlier this year for protests that were set to include burning the Quran, citing security concerns. "Yes, yes to the Quran," protesters chanted.

Persons: Moqtada al, Sadr, Tobias Billstrom, Muqtada Sadr, STT Organizations: Swedish, Vienna Convention, TT, Telegram Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Vienna, Finnish, Stockholm, Iraqi

Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said staff at the Swedish embassy in Baghdad were safe but Iraqi authorities had failed in their responsibility to protect the embassy. Thursday's demonstration was called by supporters of Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to protest at the second planned Koran burning in Sweden in weeks, according to posts in a Telegram group linked to the influential cleric and other pro-Sadr media. He stood by the embassy storming on Thursday, telling a press conference the U.S. "has no right to condemn the burning of the Swedish embassy but should have condemned the burning of the Koran". "Yes, yes to the Koran," protesters chanted. Sweden has seen several Koran burnings in recent years, mostly by far-right and anti-Muslim activists.

Persons: Tobias Billstrom, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Mohammed Shia Al, Billstrom, Muqtada al, Moqtada al, Read, Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Timour Azhari, Anna Ringstrom, Supantha Mukherjee, Johan Ahlander, Marie, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Ahmed Rasheed, Tom Hogue, Tom Perry, Lincoln, Bernadette Baum, William Maclean, Alison Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: NATO, Sweden's Ericsson, State Department, Telegram, Turkish, Sweden's, Islam, Marie Mannes, Thomson Locations: Iraq, BAGHDAD, STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Stockholm, Baghdad, Iraqi, Sweden, Tehran, Turkey, Washington, Sadr, Copenhagen

Swedish news agency TT reported on Wednesday that Swedish police granted an application for a public meeting outside the Iraqi embassy in Stockholm on Thursday. "Yes, yes to the Koran," protesters chanted. [1/5]Protesters clash with security forces members as they gather near the Swedish embassy in Baghdad hours after the embassy was stormed and set on fire ahead of an expected Koran burning in Stockholm, in Baghdad, Iraq, July 20, 2023. Late last month, Sadr called for protests against Sweden and the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador after the Koran burning in Stockholm by an Iraqi man. Two major protests took place outside of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad in the aftermath of that Koran burning, with protesters breaching the embassy grounds on one occasion.

Persons: Muqtada Sadr, Baghdad's, Ahmed Saad, Sadr, Timour Azhari, Anna Ringstrom, Tom Hogue Organizations: Telegram, REUTERS, Sweden, United Arab, United, Thomson Locations: BAGHDAD, STOCKHOLM, Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Stockholm, Iraq, Iraqi, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Morocco, United States, Lincoln

☆ Erdogan says Turkey could approve Sweden’s NATO membership if Europeans ‘open way’ to EU membership
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday introduced a new condition for approving Sweden's membership in NATO, calling on European countries to "open the way" for Turkey to join the European Union. It was the first time that Erdogan linked his country's ambition to join the EU with Sweden's efforts to become a NATO member. The White House readout of the Biden-Erdogan call did not mention the issue of Turkish membership in the EU. Sullivan didn't mention the EU membership issue. Previously non-aligned Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership last year following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Joe Biden, Stoltenberg, Dana Spinant, Jake Sullivan, Biden, Sullivan, Vilnius —, Paul Levin, Levin, Tobias Billström, Billström Organizations: Swedish, NATO, Monday, European Union, U.S, EU, Biden, Institute for Turkish Studies, Stockholm University, SVT, Kurdistan Workers ' Party Locations: Vilnius, VILNIUS, Lithuania, Turkey, Lithuania's, Sweden, Ankara, Istanbul, Finland, Swedish, NATO, Madrid, Cyprus, Stockholm, Sweden's, United States, Turkish, Kurdistan, Hungary, Ukraine

☆ Swedish embassy in Baghdad: Protesters break in after Stockholm Quran burning
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Mostafa Salem | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Demonstrators breached the perimeter of the Swedish embassy in Baghdad Thursday, a day after a protester burned a copy of the Quran in Sweden. Videos circulating on social media showed some protesters climbing over a barricaded wall outside the embassy. Muslim countries and Islamic organizations had condemned the burning of the Quran in Stockholm. On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates summoned Sweden’s ambassador to Abu Dhabi to protest the Quran burning incident, the UAE’s state news agency WAM said. In January early this year Iraqi protesters clashed with security forces outside the Swedish embassy for a separate incident of Quran burning in Stockholm.

Persons: Muqtada, Sadr, Al Sadr, Momika, ” Al Sadr, it’s, Sweden’s, Abu, WAM Organizations: CNN, Embassy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, AFP, of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council, United Arab Emirates Locations: Swedish, Baghdad, Sweden, Muqtada al, Iraqi, Stockholm, Stockholm –, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi

☆ Blinken encourages Turkish counterpart to support Sweden's NATO bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ANKARA/WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken encouraged Ankara to support Sweden in its bid to join NATO in a meeting with new Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson said. "(Blinken) also... encouraged Turkey's support for Sweden to join the NATO Alliance now," he said. Blinken welcomed Ankara's support for Kyiv and its work on the grain deal, which allows Ukrainian exports from Black Sea ports, the spokesperson said. Sweden and Finland both reversed decades of military non-alignment last year and applied to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Fidan said he was there to demonstrate Turkey's support for Ukraine.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Hakan Fidan, Fidan, Blinken, Matthew Miller, Tayyip Erdogan, Tobias Billstrom, Huseyin Hayatsever, Rami Ayyub, Daren Butler, Ali Kucukgocmen, Christina Fincher Organizations: NATO, Turkish, State Department, NATO Alliance, Kyiv, Swedish, Thomson Locations: ANKARA, WASHINGTON, Ankara, Sweden, Turkey, Vilnius, Ukraine, London, Black, finalise, Finland, Stockholm, Blinken, Washington

☆ Time has come for Turkey to ratify Sweden's NATO bid - Swedish minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM, June 21 (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament should begin to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO because Stockholm has now met its obligations under an accord with Ankara on joining the Western military alliance, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said on Wednesday. Last year Sweden and Finland both reversed decades of military non-alignment and applied to join NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland joined NATO in April but Turkey continues to block Sweden's membership citing security concerns. This month Ankara said Sweden must crack down on anti-Turkey protests in Stockholm before it can receive the green light to join NATO. Hungary has also still to ratify Sweden's NATO bid.

Persons: Tobias Billstrom, Billstrom, Tayyip Erdogan, Niklas Pollard, Simon Johnson, Gareth Jones Organizations: NATO, Western, Reuters, Kurdistan Workers Party, Sweden's NATO, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, Stockholm, Ankara, Swedish, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Turkey, Vilnius, Madrid, Hungary

OSLO, June 1 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday he would soon travel to Turkey to discuss Sweden's NATO membership, in a bid to close a process that has been delayed due to objections from member countries Turkey and Hungary. Speaking during a two-day meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Oslo, Stoltenberg said he had spoken to Tayyip Erdogan earlier this week, who at the weekend won re-election as Turkey's president. "I will also travel to Ankara in the near future to continue to address how we can ensure the fastest possible accession of Sweden," Stoltenberg told reporters. "It is time for Turkey and Hungary to start the ratification of Swedish membership to NATO." Several NATO foreign ministers expressed confidence Sweden could become a member before, or at, a NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Tayyip Erdogan, Sweden, Tobias Billstrom, Gabrielius Landsbergis, Gwladys Fouche, Sabine Siebold, Terje Solsvik Organizations: NATO, Lithuanian, Thomson Locations: OSLO, Turkey, Hungary, Oslo, Ankara, Sweden, Swedish, Vilnius, Lithuania

CNN —Sweden has summoned Iran’s acting ambassador to protest against the execution of Habib Chaab, a dual Swedish-Iranian national who had been convicted of leading an Arab separatist group accused of attacks. “The death penalty is an inhuman and irreversible punishment and Sweden, together with the rest of the EU, condemns its use under any circumstances,” the Swedish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday. Chaab was executed on Saturday morning over his alleged involvement with the Harakat al-Nidal separatist group, reported Mizan, an Iranian state-affiliated media outlet. Iran considers Harakat al-Nidal to be a terrorist group. UAE Minister of State For Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said the accusations were “baseless” and “official incitement against the UAE in Iran” was “unfortunate.”

☆ Iran hangs Swedish-Iranian convicted over attack that killed 25 people
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, May 6 (Reuters) - Iran on Saturday executed a Swedish-Iranian dissident convicted of leading an Arab separatist group accused of attacks including one on a military parade in 2018 that killed 25 people, the Iranian judiciary said. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom reacted with "dismay" to Chaab's execution, saying Sweden had pleaded with Iran not to carry it out. Iran said in 2020 that its security forces detained Chaab in neighbouring Turkey and took him to Tehran, without giving details of his capture. Iran has had tense relations with its ethnic minorities, which include Arabs, Kurds, Azeris and Baluch, and has accused them of aligning with neighbouring countries. Arabs and other minorities have long complained of facing discrimination in Iran, an accusation Tehran denies.

Most Western embassies in Sudan were evacuated a week into the fighting, leaving many Sudanese visa applicants without their travel documents and in legal limbo. Several Sudanese citizens told CNN they cannot flee the conflict-ridden country because their passports are held at evacuated Western embassies. These are passports of Sudanese passport holders who have applied for a short-stay Schengen visa or an MVV (provisional residence permit). But unfortunately the ICRC cannot issue emergency travel documents for people to leave their own country,” they told CNN in a statement. Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters“I am now an obstacle for my family since they cannot travel and leave me,” she told CNN.

☆ Sweden summons Russia's ambassador over "legitimate target" statement
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

OSLO, March 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it will summon Russia's Stockholm ambassador to complain about an "attempt at interference" with the Swedish NATO application process. Sweden and Finland in 2022 both sought NATO membership shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and are hoping to complete the process this year. The Russian ambassador in a statement on the embassy's web site said joining NATO made the Nordic countries "a legitimate target for Russian retaliatory measures, including those of a military nature". A Swedish foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters the ambassador would be summoned. "The foreign ministry is summoning the Russian ambassador to protest this obvious attempt at interference," Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom separately told news agency TT.

Search resuls for: "Swedish Foreign"

25 mentions found