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Swedish government defends press freedom, no apology planned
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 22 - 08 - 2009


Sweden has no plans to apologize for an article
in a Swedish daily accusing Israel soldiers of killing Palestinians
and plundering their organs, the government said today, citing
legislation protecting freedom of speech, dpa reported.
"No one can demand that the Swedish government violates its own
constitution. Freedom of speech is an indispensable part of Swedish
society," Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt was quoted as telling the
Swedish news agency TT.
The August 17 article by a freelance writer in the culture and
arts section of Swedish daily Aftonbladet has generated outrage in
Israel and demands there for an official apology by Stockholm.
"The government does not review individual articles or what is
published in the press. That is not our task," Foreign Minister Carl
Bildt told Swedish radio news.
Earlier on his blog, Bildt wrote that Aftonbaldet had the
responsibility to explain why it opted to publish an article "there
was strong reason to believe would generate strong reactions."
Bildt told Swedish radio said he did not think Swedish ties with
Israel would be harmed and said the countries had "an interesting and
good dialogue on the peace process in the Middle East."
He is scheduled to visit Israel at the end of the month.
The foreign minister added he was "concerned" if the Israeli
public had the impression that anti-Semitic sentiments were tolerated
in Sweden, saying: "In my view that is not correct."
Both Reinfeldt and Bildt made their remarks on the sidelines of a
public meeting addressed by the premier in Vaxholm, just north of
Stockholm.


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