UAE summons EU mission head over Josep Borrell's racist 'jungle vs garden' remark

The United Arab Emirates has rejected the statement made by the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the inauguration of the new European Diplomatic Academy in Belgium. Terming the statement "inappropriate and discriminatory," the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation expressed its rejection of Borrell's remarks. The Ministry has summoned Paulsen, Acting Head of the Mission at the EU Delegation to the UAE to give explanation of the statement. The statement of UAE's Foreign Ministry comes after Josep Borrell described Europe as a "garden" and "most of the rest of the world a jungle."

In the statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) labelled Borrell's remarks as "racist." The ministry noted that such statements contribute to a "worsening climate of intolerance and discrimination worldwide." The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked the Office of the High Representative to provide a written explanation of Josep Borrell's statement which it labelled as "hurtful and discriminatory." The ministry called the remarks a "disappointing development" which comes at a time when "parties are aware of the importance of respect for other religions, cultures, and ethnic groups, as well as values such as pluralism, coexistence, and tolerance."

"The Ministry expressed its rejection of Borrell’s remarks, characterising them as racist and noting that these statements contribute to a worsening climate of intolerance and discrimination worldwide," the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. 

Josep Borrell describes Europe as 'garden'

Earlier on October 13, European Union's Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell described Europe as a "garden" and "most of the rest of the world a jungle." He stressed that the "gardeners" need to take care of the "garden." In his remarks at the European Diplomatic Academy event in Brussels, Borrell said, "Europe is a garden. We have built a garden. Everything works. It is the best combination of political freedom, economic prosperity and social cohesion that humankind has been able to build - the three things together." 

Borrell said that European nations need to protect their territory by engaging with the rest of the world as they could invade Europe. Borrell in his remarks said, "Most of the rest of the world is a jungle, and the jungle could invade the garden. The gardeners should take care of it, but they will not protect the garden by building walls." Calling on European nations to engage with the rest of the world, Borrell said, "The gardeners have to go to the jungle. Europeans have to be much more engaged with the rest of the world. Otherwise, the rest of the world will invade us, by different ways and means."

Image: AP