The OIC is a monolithic entity of which those countries are a part of. They should feel grateful because those immigrants are now being taken care of by Swedens tax-payers, they no longer pose a problem to their home countries. In fact, the money they send back to their home countries is a big source of revenue for these countries as has been noted by the UN.
OIC expresses its reservations on the remarks made by Sweden’s foreign minister against Saudi Arabia
Date: 14/03/2015 - View in: Arabic | French
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The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its reservations on the remarks made, in regard to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, by the Foreign Minister of Sweden, Margot Wallström, at the Swedish Parliament last week. In her remarks, Ms. Wallström degraded Saudi Arabia and its social norms, judicial system and political institutions.
The OIC stressed that the world community, with its multiple cultures, diverse social norms, rich and varied ethical standards and different institutional structures, can not, and should not, be based on a single and centric perspective that seeks to remake the world in its own image; and conform all according to its convictions, references, historical background and philosophical, social and political roots.
The OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani, stressed that relations between states should be maintained on the basis of respect, parity and appreciation; and that Islam, which Saudi Arabia - a founding member of the OIC - is governed by, is centered on the values of justice, compassion, equality, tolerance and the notion of human vicegerency.
Madani expressed his hope that Sweden will always be true to its history, policies and attitude that do not claim moral authority to pass one-sided judgments and moral categorizations of others.
Bahrain rejects Sweden's anti-Saudi Arabia remarks
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation opposes "authority claim to pass moral categorisations of others"
Published: 09:29 March 17, 2015
By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
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Manama: Bahrain has rejected the statement by Sweden’s foreign minister against Saudi Arabia as “interference” in the domestic affairs of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Margot Wallström provoked a political storm last week when she made remarks about Saudi Arabia’s social norms and judicial system that Riyadh condemned as “a blatant interference in its domestic affairs.”
The Saudi stance was reiterated by Bahrain late on Monday.
The statements by the Swedish foreign minister “are considered a blatant interference and a rejected infringement against the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its judicial system, considering that any interference in the internal affairs of a Gulf Cooperation Council country is considered to be an interference in all GCC countries," the ministry said.
The GCC, established in 1981, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses the importance of mutual recognition of state systems and institutions and the respect of cultural diversity among communities, and affirms that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which derives its rules from the Islamic Sharia, has laid the foundation that provides people with all rights and freedoms based on the values of justice, mercy and equality. The ministry calls for commitment to international conventions and diplomatic norms that strictly prohibit interference in internal affairs and do not permit it under any form," the ministry said.
Last week, GCC foreign ministers openly sided with Saudi Arabia in its standoff with Sweden and condemned the “false accusations” by the Nordic state foreign minister.
A statement issued at the end of the 134th meeting of the GCC ministers in the Saudi capital Riyadh said that the Swedish false accusations were an unacceptable interference in the domestic affairs of Saudi Arabia that is inconsistent with all international conventions and norms.
On Sunday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) “expressed its reservations on the remarks made in regard to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, by the Foreign Minister of Sweden.”
“The OIC stresses that the world community, with its multiple cultures, diverse social norms, rich and varied ethical standards and different institutional structures, cannot, and should not, be based on a single and centric perspective that seeks to remake the world in its own image and conform all according to its convictions, references, historical background and philosophical, social and political roots,” the OIC said.
OIC Secretary General, Iyad Ameen Madani said he hoped “Sweden will always be true to its history, policies and attitude that do not claim moral authority to pass one-sided judgments and moral categorizations of others.”
Last week, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador in Stockholm in the middle of a spat triggered Wallström’s remarks and that led to the Swedish decision to end its military cooperation with Riyadh.
“The remarks are inconsistent with international conventions and diplomatic norms and do not conform to the friendly relations between the countries. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia therefore recalls its ambassador to the Kingdom of Sweden,” a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official told the Saudi Press Agency.
Osama Naqli, the Saudi foreign ministry spokesperson, insisted on his Twitter account that his country did not interfere in Sweden’s internal affairs, saying that Riyadh was keen on its values and principles based on the Islamic Sharia.
“Sweden interfered in the domestic affairs of Saudi Arabia and we responded,” he said. “The Islamic Sharia does not need a certificate of good behaviour from Sweden or from anybody else,” he said.
Sweden has been selling arms to Saudi Arabia for decades, but the deal on military cooperation, signed in 2005 and renewed in 2010, was being strongly debated in the Nordic nation and has caused divisions within the Social Democrat-Green coalition government, Swedish media reported.
The leader of the Swedish Left Party Jonas Sjöstedt referred to the news to end the deal as a “victory” and wrote on Twitter: “Credible feminist politics demanded this.”
But former Foreign Minister Carl Bildt sharply criticised the government.
"This is not least about Sweden's credibility as a contractual partner. That credibility is important to a relatively small country like Sweden,” he wrote on his blog. “What has happened is unfortunate. Sweden has been damaged.”
According to a report in the Swedish The Local, Sweden will not immediately cancel all sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia, but will withdraw help in areas including military systems, training and transfers of technology.
