Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard stressed her country’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia amid the difficult conditions in the region, adding that the Kingdom was a “highly valued partner and interlocutor on regional and global issues”. In an interview to Asharq Al-Awsat, she said: “I have long planned to visit Saudi Arabia and I am very pleased to finally be here. It is important for me to be able to personally convey my government’s sincere support and solidarity with Saudi Arabia in current difficult times.” “We commend the Kingdom’s resilience and commitment to support dialogue and peaceful solutions. Sweden and Saudi Arabia share a joint interest in global peace and stability within a rules-based international order. During my discussion with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, I have also been able to outline Sweden’s approach to major international conflicts, including our strong support to Ukraine,” she added. “I also wanted to meet with additional representatives in the very diverse group of Swedish or ‘Swede-tech’ companies present in Saudi Arabia, such as Envac, Getinge, TetraPak and Hitachi Energy. I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for their contribution to the impressive development of Saudi Arabia and for being excellent ambassadors of Sweden’s spirit of innovation and building a better future,” she continued. On Saudi-Swedish relations and aspects of cooperation, Stenergard said: “Swedish- Saudi relations are excellent and ever-expanding. Saudi Arabia has for a long time been one of Sweden’s largest trading partners in the MENA region. Swedish companies, like Ericsson and ABB, have been present in the Saudi market since the 1950’s and 60’s and continue to bring jobs to Saudis across the Kingdom.” US-Israel war on Iran On the US-Israel war on Iran, she said: “Sweden views the situation with great concern. Sweden’s position is clear: we urge all parties to continue talks and pursue a diplomatic solution.” “There is a strong global urge and interest that these efforts, as soon as possible, lead to sustainable peace. Any final arrangement must address key concerns, such free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, ensuring that Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons and that Iran does not pose a threat to regional and international security,” she stated. On whether Sweden would be involved in ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, she replied: “Sweden is engaged in efforts to uphold freedom of navigation in the region, such as the French British initiative, together with Saudi Arabia.” “We continue to assess how Sweden can best contribute. As a member of the European Union, Sweden contributes to the EU led Operation Aspides in the Red Sea, which aims to safeguard maritime security and ensure continued freedom of navigation through key waterways such as the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait,” Stenergard went on to say. NATO summit Asked about the outcomes of the recent NATO summit in Sweden, she told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Sweden is happy to have hosted a productive meeting of the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Helsingborg. The meeting was an important milestone on the road to the NATO Summit in Ankara.” “We are pleased that Sweden could facilitate a meeting that allowed for open and constructive discussions. Hosting our first NATO meeting at ministerial level is an expression of Sweden’s ambition to be an active and constructive NATO ally,” she added. Lebanon-Israel negotiations Turning to the future of the Israeli and Lebanese negotiations, she stressed that she was “deeply concerned about the situation on the ground, including the large-scale demolition of villages in southern Lebanon, and the very large number of internally displaced people.” “The Swedish position is clear: the ceasefire must be respected and talks on a long-term solution need to continue. Israel must withdraw from Lebanese territory and respect Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she demanded. “At the same time, a sustainable peace requires the disarmament of Hezbollah, in line with UN Security Council resolutions and decisions by the Lebanese government. There can only be a diplomatic solution to this conflict,” she said.
