Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference in Stockholm
Sweden will host the first Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference in Stockholm in Stockholm on 29 May 2008. Co-chairs UN and Iraq have invited all the UN Member States and a number of international organisations to take part in this conference. High-level representatives from some 80 countries are expected to come to Stockholm in connection with the conference.
Website for the Iraq conference now open
On 29 May, Sweden will be hosting the Iraq Compact Annual Review Conference in Stockholm (ICI). Representatives from some 80 countries are expected to come to Stockholm. As of 8 May 2008 information on the conference will be available at www.icistockholm.se
Sweden assumes Chair of the Council of Europe
Sweden is taking over the Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for six months, as of 7 May. Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will assume the Chair at a meeting of foreign ministers on 7 May in Strasbourg.
"The Council of Europe has the best system in the world for monitoring human rights"
As of 7 May, Sweden will hold the chairmanship of the Council of Europe. Thomas Hammarberg is a Swede and Commissioner for Human Rights at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg with 47 member states to keep an eye on.
- The Council of Europe has the best system in the world for monitoring human rights, says Mr Hammarberg.
Gathering of Ambassadors from Latin America
On Tuesday Gunnar Wieslander, State Secretary to the Minister for Trade, met the Latin American ambassadors in Stockholm. All the ambassadors had private talks with the State Secretary to raise their own particular questions.
Carl Bildt awarded prize in Turkey
Carl Bildt will receive the 'Bosphorus Prize for European Understanding' from the eminent Turkish organisation TÜSAID in Ankara. The award will be presented by Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Gunilla Carlsson to participate in international meeting on support to Palestinians
The Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson will be participating in a meeting of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) on 2 May in London. The AHLC is the foremost body for international coordination of support to the West Bank and Gaza.
- "Freedom of movement in the Palestinian areas must be substantially improved," says Ms Carlsson. (Foto: Pawel Flato)
EU condemns the violence in Zimbabwe and urges greater African engagement
EU foreign ministers met on Wednesday in Luxembourg. Items on the agenda included the situation in Zimbabwe. In a joint statement the foreign ministers call for an end to the politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe and they urge further engagement on the part of the neighbouring countries in the region and the African Union to find a solution to the political crisis. They also emphasised that the electoral process must be completed in a way that respects freedom of expression, freedom of the press and a social climate free of intimidation and violence.
Sweden reviewed by the UN Committee on Torture
On April 29 - 30, Sweden will be under scrutiny by the United Nations Committee on Torture, CAT. The previous review of Sweden by the committee was made in 2002.
New ambassador in Ljubljana
Today the Government appointed Inger Ultvedt Sweden's new ambassador in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Ms Ultvedt is currently ambassador in Manila in the Philippines. Ambassador Ultvedt will take up her new post in the autumn. (Foto: Pawel Flato)
