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Sweden ‘proud’ to have recognized Palestine, will continue to support it: Foreign minister

Tuesday, 30 April 2019 5:55 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 30 April 2019 6:01 PM ]

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström (Photo by The Associated Press)

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström says her country is proud to have officially recognized the state of Palestine, and will continue to support it.

“I am proud of the decision of Sweden's government, which recognized Palestine as an independent state in 2014,” Wallström told Swedish national public television broadcaster Sveriges Television AB (SVT) on Monday.

She added that many countries followed suit after Sweden became the first European Union member in Western Europe to recognize a Palestinian state.

“This shows that we recognized Palestine at the right time. We will continue to support Palestine,” Wallström added.

The top Swedish diplomat then made a reference to the Israeli regime’s criticism of Sweden’s Palestine policy, stating that negotiations are underway between Stockholm and Tel Aviv to resolve diplomatic tensions.

On October 30, 2014, the Swedish government formally recognized Palestine as a state, less than a month after Prime Minister Stefan Löfven announced his intention to make the move.

Wallström then told reporters that the territory has fulfilled the "criteria of international law," adding that Palestine had both "a territory, a people and government."

She also expressed hope that Sweden's move would provide a "positive injection into the dynamics of the Middle East peace process."

Wallström highlighted that recognition of Palestine would make the country more equal while participating in the so-called peace negotiations with Israel

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas later hailed Sweden's "brave and historic" move.

“All countries of the world that are still hesitant to recognize our right to an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, with East al-Quds (Jerusalem) as its capital, (should) follow Sweden's lead,” his spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina quoted him as saying.

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