The Queen receiving the Syrian Ambassador when he presented his diplomatic credentials at Buckingham Palace. Today, Dr Sami Khiyami's inivation to her grandson's wedding was dramatically withdrawn
Posted on 04/28/2011 6:51:26 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The Syrian ambassador's invitation to the royal wedding was withdrawn at the 11th hour yesterday amid continuing controversy over the guest list.
Foreign Secretary William Hague told Sami Khiyami that his presence at Westminster Abbey -- which had been branded 'bordering on grotesque' by Labour MPs -- was no longer acceptable.
The Foreign Office held emergency talks with Buckingham Palace after the Daily Mail revealed that the red carpet was being rolled out for Dr Khiyami, whose government is said to have killed 400 peaceful protesters in recent weeks.
The withdrawal of his invitation was widely welcomed in Westminster, but failed to dampen unease over the 1,900-strong guest list for today's ceremony.
Several senior ministers privately expressed bemusement that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown had been excluded from the occasion, while representatives of several foreign governments with dubious track records had been invited.
Announcing the withdrawal of Dr Sami Khiyami's invitation, the Foreign Office said: 'Representatives of countries with which the UK has normal diplomatic relations have been invited to the wedding.
'An invitation does not mean endorsement or approval of the behaviour of any government, simply that we have normal diplomatic relations with that country.
'In the light of this week's attacks against civilians by the Syrian security forces, which we have condemned, the Foreign Secretary has decided that the presence of the Syrian Ambassador at the Royal Wedding would be unacceptable and that he should not attend.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
The Queen receiving the Syrian Ambassador when he presented his diplomatic credentials at Buckingham Palace. Today, Dr Sami Khiyami's inivation to her grandson's wedding was dramatically withdrawn
I thought Tony Blair showed a lot of class and cognition over having not been invited. His remarks at at the original article. Lady Thatcher and Sir John Major are both on the guest list, Brown and Blair, not so much.
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