published: Thursday | March 22, 2007
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP):
Sweden has demanded an apology from Cuba after the Caribbean nation's
ambassador to the United Nations (U.N.) in Geneva lashed out at "Swedish
imperialism" and accused Sweden of racial bias.
The diplomatic spat started March 12 when Swedish Foreign Minister Carl
Bildt criticised Cuba's human rights record in a speech to the U.N.
Human Rights Council.
In his response, the Cuban Ambassador to the U.N., Juan Antonio
Fernandez Palacios, accused Sweden of being cynical, saying Bildt's
comments recalled "the not-so-glorious days of Swedish imperialism,
which filled with blood and pain their neighbouring countries."
His comments, which appeared to refer to Swedish wars of the 16th and
17th centuries, were met with indignation in a country that has remained
at peace for nearly 200 years.
"We don't accept an outburst of that kind against our nation," Bildt
told reporters yesterday in Stockholm. "It was a hysterical outburst. It
is totally unacceptable and shows proof of a desperate regime."
Demands explanation
Bildt said the foreign ministry summoned Cuba's ambassador to Stockholm
on March 14, demanding an explanation and an apology for Palacios'
remarks. None was given, foreign ministry spokesman Christian Carlsson said.
No one answered phone calls seeking comment at the Cuban Embassy after
office hours yesterday afternoon.
In his address to the human rights council, Palacios also implicated
Sweden in the CIA's rendition programme of terrorism suspects and
suggested Sweden was racially biased.
"In Cuba one does not persecute migrants nor does one try to carry out
ethnic cleansing that just allows for retaining in the country those
whose skin colour and hair colour would fit in better with the racial
patterns of former Viking conquerors," he said. It was not immediately
clear what he was referring to.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070322/carib/carib2.html
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