Swedish foreign minister repeats support for EU enlargement

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt on Wednesday repeated support for enlargement of the European Union and said the government was seeking a unified "European" stance on Kosovo.

The 27-nation EU remained a key component in Swedish foreign policy, Bildt said during the presentation of the government's foreign policy statement that also touched on free trade, disarmament, climate change and global poverty reduction.

Bildt also repeated his concern over certain developments in Russia with a "move in a more authoritarian direction" in recent years.

Sweden would also seek closer ties with Ukraine, Bildt said, adding that an embassy will be opened in Belarus this year.

On the Serbian breakaway province of Kosovo that was expected to soon declare unilateral independence, Bildt said that "the present situation is untenable" and that the EU must "assume a special responsibility for the status issue and for state-building."

Stockholm would "soon" state its position on "Sweden's future relations with Kosovo" pending EU discussions, Bildt said, adding that the EU should also "keep the door open for Serbia."

The EU "enlargement process" was one of the bloc's "most crucial strategic obligations," Bildt said repeating that Sweden supported Turkey and Croatia as members when they fulfil requirements.

On the Middle East, Bildt said Sweden was "working for an end to the isolation of Gaza" and rejected "the Israeli settlement policy" while underlining that "rocket attacks on Israel must cease."

In the following debate, Bildt ruled out talks with Hamas that rules the Gaza Strip, saying "our priority is to talk with those who want to negotiate peace."

Urban Ahlin of the opposition Social Democrats presented an alternative declaration and urged the government to step up its disarmament work, including preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and backing a global ban against cluster bombs.