Diplomatic Briefing
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Newsline: Russia summons Germany, Denmark, Sweden ambassadors
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it had summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Sweden and Denmark to protest over what it said was the “complete lack of results” in an investigation to identify who blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last year. Several unexplained underwater explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 and newly built Nord Stream 2 pipelines that link Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea in September 2022. The blasts occurred in the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Both countries say the explosions were deliberate, but have yet to determine who was responsible. The two countries as well as Germany are investigating the incident. Russia’s Foreign Ministry in a statement accused all three of deliberately dragging their feet and trying to conceal who was behind the blasts. It said it was unhappy about what it called the opaque nature of the investigation and its refusal to engage with Russia. “It has been noted that these countries are not interested in establishing the true circumstances of this sabotage. On the contrary, they are delaying their efforts and trying to conceal the tracks and the true perpetrators of the crime behind which we believe are well-known countries,” it said. (https://neuters.de/world/europe/russia-summons-germany-denmark-sweden-envoys-over-stalled-nord-stream-2023-05-25/) The Danish foreign ministry confirmed that its ambassador had been summoned, and said authorities in Denmark, Germany, and Sweden were continuing their investigations.
Newsline: Russia shuts Swedish consulate, expels diplomats in tit-for-tat move
Russia said on Thursday it would shut Sweden’s consulate in St Petersburg and its own mission in Sweden’s second-biggest city Gothenburg, and expelled five Swedish diplomats in a tit-for-tat move after Stockholm expelled five Russians last month. It said it had withdrawn its consent for the Swedish consulate in St Petersburg from September. Stockholm said last month it had expelled the diplomats over espionage concerns. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the expulsions an “openly hostile step”. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom said in a statement the news was “very regrettable”. “Russia has chosen to expel Swedish diplomats who acted within the framework of the Vienna Convention and conducted customary diplomatic activities in Russia. We also deeply regret the Russian announcement about the Consulate General in St Petersburg,” he said. (https://uk.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/russia-expels-five-swedish-diplomats-says-ties-at-unprecedented-low-3032030) Relations between the two countries have worsened since Sweden last year announced its intention to join NATO. The Russian statement said ties had “reached an unprecedented low”.
Newsline: Sweden expels five Russian diplomats
Sweden’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday it was expelling five Russian diplomats for conducting activities incompatible with their diplomatic status. “Five people who are employed at the (Russian) embassy have been asked to leave (Sweden) as a result of activities that are incompatible with the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations,” a Swedish foreign ministry statement said. The ministry declined to specify the activities involved, but said the Swedish security service had reported that Russia had continuously engaged in intelligence gathering in Sweden. “This is a security threat that the government takes very seriously,” it said in an emailed statement. (https://neuters.de/world/europe/sweden-expelling-five-russian-diplomats-foreign-ministry-says-2023-04-25/) Sweden’s Security Service declined to comment on the case, but said it has long warned that Russia used diplomats to spy on Sweden. Russia’s embassy in Sweden declined to comment on the development.
Newsline: Netherlands, Canada, Sweden and Ireland evacuate citizens from Sudan
The Netherlands said “a handful” of its citizens had left on a French plane as part of a complex operation involving France, Germany and other countries. It said it had about 150 nationals in Sudan. Canada said it was suspending operations in Sudan and Canadian diplomats would temporarily work from a safe location outside the country, without commenting on evacuation efforts. Sweden and Ireland each said they were involved in efforts to evacuate citizens.
Newsline: Sweden to evacuate embassy staff from Sudan
Sweden will evacuate its embassy staff and their families from Sudan as soon as the situation makes that possible, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said. “The decisions we have taken mean that, it will be possible to evacuate … embassy personnel and their relatives if and when the security situation allows,” Kristersson told reporters. He said that help would also be given to other Swedes in the country, “to the extent that it is possible”. (https://www.reuters.com/world/sweden-evacuate-embassy-staff-sudan-when-possible-2023-04-21/) Kristersson added that Sweden was coordinating its policy with other countries.
Newsline: Sweden shuts down embassy in Pakistan
Sweden has announced closing its embassy in Pakistan indefinitely due to the prevailing “security situation” in the crisis-hit country’s capital. The embassy did not elaborate on the nature of the threat, but Pakistan’s political situation is getting worse amid growing tension between the government and the Supreme Court. (https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/sweden-shuts-down-embassy-in-pakistan-indefinitely-here-s-why/) Due to the current security situation in Islamabad, the Embassy of Sweden is closed to visitors. The Migration Section is not, at the moment, able to handle requests of any kind, a notice on the embassy’s website reads.
Newsline: Sweden summons Russia’s ambassador
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. 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. (https://neuters.de/world/europe/sweden-summons-russias-ambassador-over-legitimate-target-statement-2023-03-29/) Sweden and Finland in 2022 both sought NATO membership and are hoping to complete the process this year.
Newsline: Turkey summons Swedish ambassador
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry summoned Sweden’s ambassador on Friday over authorities’ permission of a protest near the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm scheduled to be held on Saturday, a source from the Foreign Ministry said. The source said the Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the “provocative” protest, which they said includes burning of the Muslim holy book the Koran, and conveyed Ankara’s expectation for reversal of the permission for the demonstration. The Foreign Ministry also told Sweden’s envoy that granting permission to a separate protest that is to be staged on Saturday by a group sympathetic to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is a violation of agreements between the countries, the source said. (https://neuters.de/world/europe/turkey-summons-swedish-envoy-over-permission-protest-source-2023-01-20/) The incident comes at a sensitive time in bilateral relations when both Sweden and Finland are seeking Turkey’s approval of their bids to join NATO.
Newsline: Turkey summons Swedish ambassador over Erdogan puppet
Turkey has summoned Sweden’s ambassador to Ankara following a demonstration in Stockholm in which a puppet of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was hung from its feet, a diplomatic source has said. Staffan Herrstrom, Sweden’s ambassador to Turkey, was summoned to the foreign ministry and Ankara’s reaction was conveyed to him, a Turkish diplomatic source said. “Our expectation that the perpetrators of the incident need to be identified, the necessary processes be carried out and Sweden uphold its promises was emphasised,” the source said. (https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/world/turkey-summons-swedish-ambassador-over-erdogan-puppet/) Sweden applied to join Nato earlier last year and has been courting Turkey to back its bid for accession. Turkey said it would consider supporting Sweden’s application if it takes a clearer stance against what it sees as terrorists — mainly Kurdish militants and the organisation it blames for a 2016 coup attempt.
Newsline: Former residence of Swedish ambassador in Washington lists for $19.5 million
This 11,200-square-foot house, owned by the Swedish government and once the home of a well-known Washington publisher, sits on nearly seven acres, one of the largest parcels now on the market in Washington. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/12/02/former-residence-swedish-ambassador-lists-195-million/) The Swedish government purchased the property — in Northwest Washington’s American University Park neighborhood — in the 1950s. It has been home to 12 Swedish ambassadors, including Karin Olofsotter, who lived there from 2017 to 2019. She relocated the residence to the Swedish Embassy in Georgetown to be nearer downtown Washington and to have the added interior space needed to host larger events. The grounds have a lighted tennis court and a greenhouse. The driveway has two entrances, both gated, and a there is a circular section in front of the house that connects to a large parking lot and an attached garage.
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