瑞典戳破國王新衣

瑞典承認巴勒斯坦歐盟第一國○自由 (2014.10.04) http://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201410040009-1.aspx

 

（中央社記者江今葉布魯塞爾3日專電）瑞典新任總理勒夫文（Stefan Lofven）今天宣布將承認巴勒斯坦，使得瑞典成為歐盟主要國家中，第一個承認巴勒斯坦主權的國家，外界關注是否會引發骨牌效應。

9月贏得大選的勒夫文（Stefan Lofven），今天在瑞典國會公布內閣名單並進行施政報告，雖然他的報告主要暢談日後如何促進瑞典國內的就業與福利政策，但他在外交政策上的發言，意外引發關注。

勒夫文表示，瑞典會持續維持政治中立，不會加入北大西洋公約組織（NATO）。但瑞典會承認巴勒斯坦主權，也支持以巴通過方案解決雙方多年來的衝突。這讓瑞典成為歐盟第一個承認巴勒斯坦國家地位的會員國。

勒夫文也抨擊歐盟應對以色列計劃擴大囤墾區行為表態。正巧，歐盟今天下午發出聲明，呼籲以色列儘速放棄這項計劃，否則將會傷害以巴和談前景，也會讓外界質疑以色列與巴勒斯坦和解的決心。

雖然瑞典是第一個歐盟國家宣布將承認巴勒斯坦，但事實上，包括斯洛伐克、匈牙利、波蘭在內的數個前共產國家，以及賽普勒斯、馬爾他共和國，在加入歐盟之前，即已承認巴勒斯坦國家地位。1031004

Sweden To Recognize State Of Palestine○Reuters (2014.10.03) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/03/sweden-state-of-palestine_n_5926370.html

STOCKHOLM, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Sweden's new center-left government will recognize the state of Palestine in a move that will make it the first major European country to take the step, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said on Friday.

The U.N. General Assembly approved the de facto recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine in 2012 but the European Union and most EU countries, have yet to give official recognition.

"The conflict between Israel and Palestine can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law," Lofven said during his inaugural address in parliament.

"A two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful co-existence.  Sweden will therefore recognize the state of Palestine."

For the Palestinians, Sweden's move will be a welcome boost for its ambitions.

With its reputation as an honest broker in international affairs and with an influential voice in EU foreign policy, the decision may well make other countries sit up and pay attention at a time when the Palestinians are threatening unilateral moves towards statehood.

However, there is likely to be strong criticism of Sweden from Israel, as well as from the United States and the EU, which maintain that an independent Palestinian state should only emerge through a negotiated process.

Within the EU, some countries, such as Hungary, Poland and Slovakia recognize Palestine, but they did so before joining the 28-member bloc.

If the center-left government fulfills its plans, Sweden would be the first country to recognize Palestine while being a member of the European Union.

The Social Democrats and Greens hold a minority of seats in parliament and the incoming center-left government is likely to be one of Sweden's weakest for decades.

The former center-right government would not recognize Palestine as the Palestinian authorities did not control their territory.

The Palestinians want an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza, with its capital in East Jerusalem.  While Gaza's boundaries are clearly defined, the precise territory of what would constitute Palestine in the West Bank and East Jerusalem will only be determined via negotiations with Israel on a two-state solution, negotiations which are currently suspended.  (Reporting by Johan Ahlander Additional reporting by Luke Baker in Jerusalem; Editing by Alison Williams)

Sweden to Recognize Palestinian State○New York Times (2014.10.03) http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/04/world/europe/sweden-to-recognize-palestinian-state.html?_r=0

LONDON — Sweden’s new center-left government has decided to recognize the state of Palestine, the new prime minister, Stefan Lofven, said during his inaugural address to Parliament on Friday.

Sweden will be the first major state of the European Union to recognize Palestine, although some East European countries did so during the Cold War, before they joined the union.

The Swedish announcement comes at a time of new tension between Israel and many European nations over the recent fighting in Gaza, the civilian casualties there and other issues.  Efforts to promote boycotts of Israeli companies operating in the occupied West Bank have gained momentum, and the conflict in Gaza has prompted a spike in anti-Israel and anti-Semitic episodes in Europe.

Mr. Lofven leads a minority government made up of his Social Democrats and the Greens that is quite likely to be a weak government; it commands only 138 seats in Parliament — 37 short of an outright majority.  The Social Democrats emerged as the largest party in elections on Sept. 14, defeating a center-right coalition led by Mr.  Lofven’s predecessor, Fredrik Reinfeldt.

Though Mr. Reinfeldt’s government had been critical of Israeli policies on settlements and the recent Gaza war, it refused to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, arguing that the government there did not satisfy a basic criterion of sovereignty: to have control over its territory.

前Reinfeldt政府一直不願意承認巴勒斯坦，理由是它並未控制其領土，及約旦河西岸與加薩，以及其宣稱之首都東耶路撒冷。

Mr. Lofven told Parliament on Friday that “the conflict between Israel and Palestine can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law.”  Such a solution, he said, “requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful coexistence,” and “Sweden will therefore recognize the state of Palestine.” He did not specify when that would happen.

The announcement will be welcome news for President Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, who has been pushing for formal statehood while negotiations with Israel over a permanent peace settlement have repeatedly faltered.

The Palestinians are seeking pledges for reconstruction aid to rebuild Gaza, which was badly damaged in the conflict.  At a conference this month in Cairo, Mr. Abbas is expected to ask for $4 billion in aid for Gaza, which is still largely blockaded by both Israel and Egypt.  His Fatah political movement and Hamas, the rival militant group that controls Gaza, have formed a unity government but are still arguing over how to make such a government function in practice.  Even so, Riad Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, issued a statement on Friday calling on other European Union nations to follow Sweden’s lead and recognize Palestinian statehood.  He praised Sweden for its support for “the values of freedom and dignity and human rights,” and said that recognition of Palestine would aid “a comprehensive and just peace.”  His statement continued: “In the name of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian leadership, we thank and salute the Swedish position.”  He mentioned Malta, Cyprus, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia as examples of other European states that recognize Palestine.

Israel, for its part, is expected to criticize Mr. Lofven’s announcement, which came at the start of the quiet period around Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.  Israel has argued that a sovereign Palestinian state with fixed borders can emerge only at the end of negotiations that yield a permanent peace settlement.  Israel also argues that the Oslo Accords committed both sides not to pursue unilateral moves before a final settlement.

The United Nations General Assembly approved the recognition of the sovereign state of Palestine — as a nonmember observer state — in November 2012. More than 100 countries recognize the state of Palestine.  But the United States, the European Union and most of its member countries do not.  The State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, told reporters in Washington on Friday that the Swedish decision was “premature.”

“We certainly support Palestinian statehood, but it can only come through a negotiated outcome, a resolution of final status issues and mutual recognitions by both parties,” Ms. Psaki said.

The foreign minister in the new Swedish government will be Margot Wallstrom, a former European Union commissioner and former United Nations special representative on sexual violence in conflict.  She replaces Carl Bildt, who gave Sweden a prominent profile in international affairs during his tenure.