saudibound apes fall victim to diplomatic monkey business
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Saudi-bound apes fall victim to diplomatic monkey business

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Saudi-bound apes fall victim to diplomatic monkey business

Riyadh recalled its ambassador to Stockholm
Stockholm - AFP

Four Amazonian monkeys due to be transferred from Sweden to Saudi Arabia have been left stranded in a Stockholm zoo after a diplomatic row prompted Riyadh to stop issuing business visas.
The pygmy marmosets -- among the world's smallest primates at less than 15 centimetres (6 inches) long -- were born a year ago and had been due to be moved to a Saudi zoo outside the capital Riyadh.
"The Saudi authorities did not grant an import licence for the monkeys... because of the political situation," Jonas Wahlstroem, a zookeeper, at Skansen zoo told AFP.
The refusal to allow the monkeys' transfer comes after Sweden halted a military agreement with the Gulf state.
Riyadh recalled its ambassador to Stockholm last month and froze business visas for Swedish nationals, accusing Stockholm of "flagrant interference" in its affairs.
Saudi Arabia blamed the dispute on comments by Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstroem who had earlier called the oil-rich state a "dictatorship" that violated women's rights and whipped bloggers.
Swedish officials claimed last week that relations with Riyadh had been "normalised", following intense diplomatic exchanges including letters from King Carl XVI and Prime Minister Stefan Loefven which a high-ranking Swedish MP delivered to Saudi monarch Salman.
"We have been informed that they will start to issue the visas again," foreign ministry spokesman Johan Tegel told AFP.
In the meantime, the monkeys will have to wait their turn in the queue for entry papers to the Gulf kingdom -- along with Swedish business travellers.
"It's almost comical," said Wahlstroem.
"We maybe have to wait until they start re-issuing visas. Maybe the monkeys also need them."

 

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

saudibound apes fall victim to diplomatic monkey business saudibound apes fall victim to diplomatic monkey business

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

saudibound apes fall victim to diplomatic monkey business saudibound apes fall victim to diplomatic monkey business

 



GMT 05:03 2017 Saturday ,21 October

EMPC denies transfer to new administrative capital

GMT 10:50 2014 Friday ,07 November

UAE Fables and Folklore

GMT 12:10 2017 Tuesday ,07 March

Poachers kill rare giant elephant in Kenya

GMT 00:31 2016 Thursday ,08 December

Kuwaiti-European group considers investing $1bn

GMT 12:31 2017 Thursday ,06 April

At 73, Barry Manilow comes out of closet

GMT 18:34 2017 Friday ,10 February

Malabar Gold to open 11th Saudi showroom in Jubail

GMT 16:18 2017 Monday ,02 October

Saudi university to open driving school for women

GMT 16:20 2017 Wednesday ,18 October

French parliament adopts tough anti-terror bill

GMT 02:18 2017 Tuesday ,03 October

Egypt's Sisi says spoke to Donald Trump by telephone
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday