YEREVAN (RFE/RL), March 16 — The Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt called his Turkish colleague Recep Tayyip Erdogan and officially apologized to him for the decision taken by the Swedish Riksdag on March 11.

On Wednesday the Swedish Parliament with 131 ayes and 130 nays recognized the Genocide of Armenians, Assyrians and Pontian Greeks, committed in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire.

“The Swedish government was strongly against the adoption of this resolution, and its adoption in the Riksdag resulted in internal political developments. The resolution does not have the validity of law,” mentioned Reinfeldt according to the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet.” Later the Prime Minister added: “We will not let this resolution have its negative influence on Turkish-Swedish relations.”

According to Prime Minister the Swedish authorities will do their best to “protect their relations with Turkey from such unreasonable decisions, which are being taken by only one vote.”

Fredrik Reinfeldt also told Erdogan that Sweden still continues to remain one of the most faithful advocates of Turkey’s entry into the EU.

In his turn Erdogan urged the Swedish Prime Minister to “take steps to correct the mistake.” He also mentioned that the decision of the Riksdag “is a result of ignorance and prejudice. It was aimed at frustrating Turkey’s efforts to establish peace in the region.”

Copyright (c) 2010. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

Translated from Russian by Yerevan Report