Stockholm--Sweden said Thursday that relations with Saudi Arabia were back to normal after a row over the Gulf country's human rights record, and that Riyadh would lift its temporary visa ban.
"Saudi Arabia has informed us that it saw its relationship with Sweden as normalised. As part of this, visas will be given again to Swedes. Exactly when, we cannot say," foreign ministry spokeswoman Catarina Axelsson told AFP.
Riyadh recalled its ambassador to Stockholm on March 11, accusing Sweden of "flagrant interference" in its affairs after Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem told parliament the oil-rich state was a "dictatorship" that violated women's rights and whipped bloggers.
Saudi laws are based on Islamic Sharia law, a moral and religious code.
Around the same time, Sweden unilaterally cancelled a long-standing military cooperation deal between the two countries, prompting Saudi Arabia to prevent Wallstroem from making a speech on human rights to the Arab League.
Saudi Arabia proceeded to freeze Swedish business visas to the Gulf kingdom, while its neighbour the United Arab Emirates also recalled its ambassador to Stockholm.
Fearing a financial impact, the Swedish government invited Saudi business leaders for talks.
Last Friday, Swedish MP Bjorn von Sydow travelled to Riyadh to deliver a letter from King Carl XVI and Prime Minister Stefan Lofven to the Saudi monarch Salman.
The content of the message was not revealed, but Wallstroem said the Swedish officials apologised for what they termed as a misunderstanding.
Throughout the diplomatic row, the foreign minister has maintained that she has the support of the Swedish people in expressing her position.
Rights groups accuse Saudi Arabia of meting out brutal punishment to dissidents and religious minorities, and excluding women from most areas of public life.
AFP
