Tabnak – Unpredictability has apparently become the dominant factor in Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy. Despite its recent efforts to depict itself as a reliable ally for the Western nations, the Saudi regime has decided to severe ties with Canada over its criticisms of the human right situation in the kingdom.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that it was recalling its envoy to Canada, and will now consider the Canadian ambassador to Riyadh a ‘persona non grata,’ Reuters reported.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi Foreign Ministry has given the Canadian envoy 24 hours to leave Riyadh. The kingdom has also reserved the right to take further action in its relations with Ottawa, according to the agency, although what actions it may take are unknown.
"The kingdom of Saudi Arabia… will not accept interference in its internal affairs," the Saudi Foreign Ministry was quoted as saying by AFP after the Canadian embassy in Riyadh called for the release of jailed human rights activists. Riyadh will also suspend new trade and investment with Canada.
The decision follows criticism by Canada of human rights in Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said that Ottawa is “alarmed” by Riyadh’s decision to imprison Samar Badawi, the sister of Saudi opposition activist Raif Badawi. The Canadian official urged Saudi Arabia to release both.
After declaring the decision to expel the Canadian ambassador, Riyadh also released a statement on the official Saudi Press Agency, in which it confirmed its commitment to not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries and in return rejected any intervention by them.
"Any further step from the Canadian side in that direction will be considered as acknowledgment of our right to interfere in the Canadian domestic affairs," said the statement.
In an interesting development following the recent spat, the chairman of Yemen’s Supreme Revolutionary Committee called on Ottawa to open its embassy in Sana’a. “We call on the Canadian government to open its embassy in Sana’a,” Mohammed Ali al-Houthi said on his Twitter account on Monday.
Sana’a welcomes the inauguration of the embassy, he wrote, adding that Yemen would be a replacement for a country (Saudi Arabia) that adopts “an offensive stance” against Canada.
In 2012, Badawi, creator of the Free Saudi Liberals website, whose situation has causes the recent tensions between Riyadh and Ottawa, was accused of insulting Islam, as well as cybercrimes and critical statements aimed at clerics and representatives of the kingdom's religious police. The activist was sentenced to 10 years in prison in Saudi Arabia.
Raif Badawi’s wife, Ensaf Haidar, fled Saudi Arabia for Canada following the arrest of her husband and received Canadian citizenship on July 1.
