Sweden 'weakened' EU sanctions against Syria
Published: 3 Dec 11 16:18 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/37720/20111203/
Sweden stepped on the brakes, stopping the EU from imposing sanctions against two telecom companies active in Syria. Both do business with Swedish telecom giant Ericsson.
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"Sweden has long had a very good reputation when it comes to human rights, but the current government is undermining this in one issue after another," said MP Bodil Ceballos of the Green Party (Miljöpartiet) to newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
On Thursday evening EU's foreign ministers agreed to impose sanctions against Syria, which apply to 11 companies whose technology can be used to track and supervise regime critics.
But Sweden stopped two further companies, state-owned STE and South Africa-based MTN, from being added to the blacklist, reported national television channel SVT.
Several EU diplomats told SVT that Sweden's actions could be traced to the "Ericsson factor", in other words that Swedish Ericsson is supplying Syria with technology that enables tracking of the regime's opposition through mobile phones.
According to Sweden's foreign minister Carl Bildt, however, Sweden's decision is in fact an attempt to aid the opposition.
"In the case of Syria, mobile phones and their cameras are one of the opposition's strongest weapons," he wrote on his blog on Friday.
"Without them we wouldn't find out very much about the brutal violence used by the regime," wrote Bildt.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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I note the absolute silence from our pro Arab and Moslem friends who are so quick to criticise Israel and make outlandish malicious allegations without any fact or truth.
Xexon, Iraniboy etc etc, where are you? Where are your explanations? Where are your accusations? No doubt you may claim that Israel is behind it all! Loike any person with decency, I feel for those who have brutally murdered, raped, tortured and imprisoned, just because they want democracy. Sadly, if Egypt, Tunisia and the other Arab countries are anything to go by, Democracy will still be a dream. Why? Because the Islamic Brotherhood are not known for their desire of democracy.
A thoroughly rotten bunch of people with not a shred of morality in their blood. I hope the Arabs soon overrun them (they are well on the way) and get rid of these disgusting hypocrites forever.
Enough is enough. We are sick of being preached to by hypocrites with a population like a normal sized town in the real world.
Unlike when he was a director at Lundin Petroleum, and those massacres took place in Sudan to remove those people living on the oil-rich land they wished to plunder.
Yes, we hope Carl Bildt is telling the truth about something......
http://markcrispinmiller.com/2011/02/eight-big-problems-with-the-case-against-assange-must-read-by-naomi-wolf/
All the concentration camps used IBM technology - google Hollerith.
I didn't see a reference to America in elleno's post. Could the "American" issue be your personal issue and not related to this topic or elleno?
BTW: I'm not necessarily supporting elleno's post. I only question the constant mud throwing at America.
It was an example. Ellipsis means unfinished thought, so please continue reading to "...or anyone else that got a chance." Even Russia did business with the Nazi.
I have no problems with the USA, and personally, I love all the Americans I have met. I don't like their foreign policies, sanitary system, or excessive consumerism, but overall, my impression of the USA is positive.
Nice way of blaming an entire population on the acts of the politicans. Sweden traded with both the axis and allies during The Second World War. But you wouldn`t know because yoou are blinded by your hate towards Swedes.
Great guys behind leaderships like current USA, France, Sweden, Norway, Canada etc. cannot really have connections with use of barbarian style killing machines against or in favor of any of the hot tempered groups of bullying people of the same Semitic origin.who do not have wise enough philosophical views to live their 'one time real life' happily on earth in possible most unselfish and peaceful ways. It's time for commencing the truly humanitarian movement to be an united not divided "One world under One absolutely honest UN power".
Shahislam
If you mean everyone should be Moslem, no thank you, anymore than everyone should be Jewish, Christian, Hindu or anything else.
The reason Carl Bildt gives makes perfect sense. Sanctions on communications WOULD hurt the protestors as opposed to the government. Sweden was one of the first countries to criticize the Syrian regime and is hardly going to support them.
But I guess people enjoy trying to smear Sweden (probably because of the Assange campaign) but that doesn't excuse this lack of journalistic integrity. The Local is becoming more like a tabloid every day.
Many private and state own organisations traded with Germany and profiteered by their ventures. I know the Norwegians, understandabl, can be angry with Sweden, but even Fred Olsen, Storebrand, Den norske Creditbank made huge profits as did the French Railway system.
S'funny that the pro Arab/Moslems have still not answered my challenge to comment on the deaths of more than 4000 people in Syria, with who knows how many tortured, raped, wounded. I am certain they read this column. Perhaps next time they decide to carry out their usual Jew hating outbursts, they will need to be reminded of their silence.