MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recalled its ambassador to Sweden in solidarity with Saudi Arabia after it withdrew its envoy last week over Sweden condemning the country's poor human rights record, the state news agency WAM, informed on Wednesday.
Last week, Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom condemned the arrest of blogger Raif Badawi, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for allegedly insulting Islam.
"These statements violate the principle of sovereignty upon which the normal relations between countries are based," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Mohammed Gargash stressed as quoted by WAM.
He added that such remarks are signs of interference in another state's internal affairs without paying respect to its religious and cultural peculiarities.
Sweden's foreign ministry said last Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has recalled its ambassador to Sweden. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia blocked Wallstrom's planned speech at an Arab League summit in Cairo scheduled for March 9.
A day after that, Sweden said it would not extend its military cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia.
