Sweden recalls its Chargé d'Affaires in Sri Lanka for consultations
Press release
28 April 2009
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Sweden will recall its Chargé d'Affaires in Colombo for consultations today. Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt has not been granted an entry visa to Sri Lanka and has therefore been forced to cancel his participation in the planned visit to the country today with his British and French colleagues.
Related News item by Xinhua News Agency: Sri Lanka's denial of entry of Swedish FM "grave mistake:" Czech FM
The Sri Lankan government's denial of entry of Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt is a "grave mistake" and will have consequences, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said Tuesday.
"It is lamentable that the Sri Lankan government denied him a visa," Schwarzenberg told reporters.
"It is a grave mistake by the Sri Lankan government, which of course will have repercussions in Europe and will influence further relations between the Sri Lankan government and European states," he said.
Carl Bildt said he knew no reason why he should have been refused a visa-AFP pic
Bildt had been scheduled to visit Sri Lanka this week along with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner. Both Miliband and Kouchner have been granted entry.
Schwarzenberg said Miliband and Kouchner were visiting Sri Lanka in their capacity as representatives of two permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, therefore not directly linked to the European Union (EU).
But it was a good idea to take Bildt along, he said. The participation of Bildt, who is an expert in conflict resolution, would be very valuable for Sri Lanka, said Schwarzenberg.
According to AFP, A Sri Lankan foreign ministry official indicated that Colombo felt it had already done enough by allowing Britain and France's top diplomats -- David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner -- to visit on Wednesday.
"The Swedish minister also wanted to jump on that bandwagon and we said no," the official said.
"Some think they can land up at our airport and expect a red carpet treatment. We are not a colony and neither a bankrupt Third World country. Our main donors are in Asia, not in Europe," the official added.
10 Comments
Some think they can land up at our airport and expect a red carpet treatment. We are not a colony and neither a bankrupt Third World country. Our main donors are in Asia, not in Europe," the official added.
If you are solvent why do you need donors?
.."neither a bankrupt Third World country"..
That's right. We work hard few hours every day and never miss an interest payment to our subsidized loans. We send our kids to international schools and then to foreign universities. Even though our annual income is less than 10K $, we spend more than 30K $ to each of our children. But don't ever ask us how we do that!
We just beg for more loans to pay our interests. How we wast our resources is non of your business. If you can't give more loans to our families and free food to our people then we can get it from Russia, China, Iran and India. And don't underestimate our friend Pakistan too. Again, current situation in our place is not any where closer to a typical third world country.
I wonder how he beccomes an expert in conflict resolution when we can see the way he reacted with recalling his Chargé d'Affaires in Colombo for consultations. (when he can simply call him and consult over the phone rather than recalling him) this shows his arrogance. just imagine if he was in mahinda rajapakse's shoes ????????. long live Carl Bildt
it would be nice if Mr. Karel Schwarzenberg minds his own business.
now, tomorrow two gentlemen from "pioneers of slave trade" countries will be coming to sri lanka to preach on human rights. we welcome them as they seemed to be little civilised over the years. (they dont practise this trade anymore)
rodney Gunapala
Good One! Tell these Arrogant Self-Important Pompous EU Human Rights Experts where to go! LOL! Good Riddence... All these Scandinavian countries are trying to do is get their foot hold in Asia some way or the other as they have money now but no new territory to invest in... Asia is splitting from the West as it becomes the next Industrialized and Economic Super-Block. The Foreign ministry Oficial who gave this Swede the Boot is absolutely Right, we should do deals with Asian countries not White Former Colonialists who are feeling the reversal of Economics due to their aging and tired industrial block.
Europe is about to crumble, Asia will be the next Economic Super Power in the world.
Big donors are in gulf states, those servicing Arabs and mullahs as housemaids and who knows what else, shame on you GOSL, You are surviving on foreign remittance sent by Sinhala women. This country is worse than colony and bankrupt third world country.
Srilanka has served some Pig PIE to all these days and now it is going to taste its own cooking.
The Mills of the Justice is slow to grind but it will sure to finish.
Here is the latest from Field
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/prabhakaran-not-where-lankas-looking-may-have-escaped/91299-2.html
It is look like a Ball passing through the legs of a fine leg in a Cricket match when the last ball need 4 runs to win the match. We have seen so many of these in real time ( I mean Cricket matches) but I don't have any more comparison.
The Bowler and Fielder ( Navy and Army) are going to accuse each others for their Efficiency.
At the end, it is the People who are suffering, blown onto pieces without any medical attention
Too many spokesmen and too many foreign ministers in Sri Lanka. It is a pity!
S.S. Ali Baba
Sivanesan........ You have exposed your mentality.
The country many be bankrupt but yet feeds her Tamil IDPs, provide free medical, education and last but not least have provided you as well for you to be where you are today.
You are the kind of Tamil who will turn your back on your own parents.
I know, I have puched where it hurts most.
'Do as you would be done by', thats a lesson I learned in Kindergarten, 50 yeats ago, still to be learnt by the pompous asses in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. No doubt this will set the scene for withdrawal of GSP+ and perhaps denial of visas for our stupid officals visiting Europe.
May be a good thing. We can go back to our beginings and give up wearing trousers for an amude or loin cloth. Our ladies can also model on the Sigiriya Frescoes. Perhaps we can attract more tourists, Sheiks from the Gulf States to observe our medivial habits.
Sri Lanka's main foreign currency earners are the garment industry and tourism. Both of these benefit greatly from European customers. How stupid and short-sighted are these fools that govern this country?
Regards