Stockholm - Swedish nationals were Wednesday recommended to
refrain from 'non-essential' trips to Kenya over the recent violence
in the wake of disputed presidential polls.
Developments in Kenya were 'of grave concern,' Swedish Foreign
Minister Carl Bildt told reporters at a briefing.
'We have seen an escalation of violence,' Bildt said, noting that
it was 'ethnically motivated' and that the security situation was
worrying but so far there were no reports that tourists were
targeted.
Bildt said remarks by the head of the Kenyan election commission
that suggested even he was not sure who had won the presidential
polls were 'sensational.'
The Swedish foreign minister said he supported efforts by among
others the African Union to help end the violence, but also called on
Kenyan leaders to engage in a dialogue.
The main flaws appeared to be related to the vote counting, Bildt
said, adding that he backed a recount of the ballots under
international auspices - if ballot papers and electoral registries
were complete.
During a meeting with reporters at the Foreign Ministry, Bildt
touched on other themes he raised earlier Wednesday in an op-ed
article in Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter including his concerns over
developments in Russia.
The Swedish foreign minister said that with Russian presidential
elections due in March a 'new leadership may perhaps offer
possibilities of new cooperation,' noting disarmament as one
potential area.
Bildt said that he, like most other observers he knew of, tipped
that outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin's designate Dmitry
Medvedev would win the elections.
Concerning the European Union, Bildt reiterated that Sweden
favoured a future enlargement of the bloc and that the member states
needed to ratify the recent Lisbon Treaty on reforming the EU's
internal rules.
The EU also needed to review its 'diplomatic, economic and
military' capacities if it is to serve as a 'real peace power,' Bildt
said in the article.
Among challenges in 2008 were seeking a viable solution to the
status of Kosovo, Bildt said, adding the need to secure the rights of
minorities including Serbs and the Roma.
On the Middle East peace process, Bildt said his talks with
various contacts had convinced him that there was 'a new commitment'
in Washington to engage in the process and that was also reflected at
the recent US-backed Annapolis peace conference.
Bildt said Sweden would consider a possible request to increase
its contribution to ISAF forces in Afghanistan but said no such
request had been made.
The Swedish foreign minister underlined his concern that
Afghanistan was the world's largest supplier of opium, used to
produce heroin.
The illicit drugs production 'fuels the Taliban-led insurgency,'
he said, adding more international efforts should focus on combating
the illicit trade.
© 2008 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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