Minsk has recalled its ambassador to Sweden over the appointment of Sweden’s former ambassador to Belarus to serve as Stockholm’s representative to the Belarusian democratic community abroad.
Sweden in turn recalled its representative in Belarus to Stockholm for consultations, the Swedish Foreign Ministry confirmed to RFE/RL’s Belarus Service on January 5.
“The temporary charge d'affaires of Sweden in Minsk is currently in Stockholm for consultations,” the press service of the Swedish Foreign Ministry told RFE/RL.
Work at the Swedish Embassy in Minsk continues as usual, the ministry said, adding that the Belarusian ambassador to Sweden is currently “in Minsk for consultations."
The diplomatic clash occurred after Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom appointed Christina Johannesson, Sweden’s former ambassador to Belarus, to be the Swedish representative to the Belarusian democratic community abroad. Johannesson's responsibilities include relations with Belarusians in exile, cooperation with the democratic forces, and strengthening international ties.
With the appointment, Sweden joined France, Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland in naming special representatives for relations with democratic Belarus.
On the same day he announced the appointment, Billstrom was asked in an interview with RFE/RL whether he recognized Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the elected president of Belarus.
"We recognize her as a person who won the elections and who by right should have become the inaugurated president of Belarus," he said on November 6.
Diplomatic sources in Minsk told RFE/RL that this raised the ire of Belarusian authorities, who recalled Ambassador Dzmitry Mironchyk from Stockholm. It was unclear when Mironchyk left. They also demanded that the head of Sweden’s diplomatic mission in Minsk, Eva Sundqvist, return to Stockholm for consultations.
The press service of the Swedish Foreign Ministry also informed RFE/RL that, after the appointment of Johannesson to the Belarus Democratic Community, the Swedish Foreign Ministry held negotiations with Belarusian representatives.
The press service said it had "no concrete reactions to share" about the negotiations.
