This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/30/sweden-officially-recognises-state-palestine
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 1 | Version 2 |
---|---|
Sweden officially recognises state of Palestine | Sweden officially recognises state of Palestine |
(about 1 month later) | |
Sweden has officially recognised the state of Palestine, the Swedish foreign minister said, less than a month after Stockholm announced its intention to make the controversial move. | Sweden has officially recognised the state of Palestine, the Swedish foreign minister said, less than a month after Stockholm announced its intention to make the controversial move. |
“Today the government takes the decision to recognise the state of Palestine,” Margot Wallström said in a statement published in the Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Thursday. | “Today the government takes the decision to recognise the state of Palestine,” Margot Wallström said in a statement published in the Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Thursday. |
“It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians’ right to self-determination,” the foreign minister said. “We hope that this will show the way for others.” | “It is an important step that confirms the Palestinians’ right to self-determination,” the foreign minister said. “We hope that this will show the way for others.” |
Sweden’s new prime minister, Stefan Löfven, announced in his inaugural address to parliament in early October that his country would become the first EU member in western Europe to recognise a Palestinian state. | Sweden’s new prime minister, Stefan Löfven, announced in his inaugural address to parliament in early October that his country would become the first EU member in western Europe to recognise a Palestinian state. |
While the Palestinians cheered the move, Israel summoned Sweden’s ambassador to protest and express disappointment. | While the Palestinians cheered the move, Israel summoned Sweden’s ambassador to protest and express disappointment. |
Israel says the Palestinians can only receive their promised state through direct negotiations and not through other diplomatic channels. | Israel says the Palestinians can only receive their promised state through direct negotiations and not through other diplomatic channels. |
Seven EU member states have already recognised a Palestinian state – Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovakia, Hungary, Malta, Poland and Romania. Non-EU member Iceland is the only other western European nation to have done so. | |
The US cautioned Sweden against recognition, calling it “premature” and saying the Palestinian state could only come through a negotiated solution between Israelis and Palestinians. | The US cautioned Sweden against recognition, calling it “premature” and saying the Palestinian state could only come through a negotiated solution between Israelis and Palestinians. |
In Thursday’s announcement, Wallström said: “The government considers that international law criteria for recognition of a Palestinian state have been fulfilled.” | In Thursday’s announcement, Wallström said: “The government considers that international law criteria for recognition of a Palestinian state have been fulfilled.” |
A spokesman for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, welcomed Sweden’s decision, describing it as “brave and historic”. | A spokesman for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, welcomed Sweden’s decision, describing it as “brave and historic”. |
“All countries of the world that are still hesitant to recognise our right to an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, [should] follow Sweden’s lead,” his spokesman quoted him as saying. | “All countries of the world that are still hesitant to recognise our right to an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, [should] follow Sweden’s lead,” his spokesman quoted him as saying. |