Josep Borrell, the head of foreign policy for the European Union, denied on Tuesday that words he made last week were racist and apologized for any offense they may have caused. The remarks had drawn criticism from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The UAE summoned the acting head of mission at the EU delegation to the UAE on Monday and demanded an explanation for Borrell's alleged racial remarks.
Borrell referred to Europe as "a garden" and the majority of the rest of the world as "a jungle" that "might invade the garden" in remarks he made at the brand-new European Diplomatic Academy in Bruges, Belgium, which have since gained a lot of attention online.
In a late-Tuesday blog post, Borrell explained that when he used the term "jungle," he was referring to the growing number of instances in which nations have violated accepted international standards by utilizing force, coercion, and extortion.
"What I meant by the "jungle" when I spoke of it was the expansion of this lawless society and disarray. There is no racial, ethnic, or geographic connotation in my use of the word "jungle." Indeed, the "jungle" is present everywhere, including in Ukraine, which is regrettable. I told the pupils that we need to take this trend seriously, "said he.
"The metaphor has been misunderstood by some as "colonial Euro-centrism." I apologize if some have taken offense "He said that he believed Europe was frequently too Euro-centric and needed to learn more about the rest of the globe.
According to the UAE's national news agency, the foreign ministry had called the comments "wrong and racist" and that they "add to a worsening climate of intolerance and discrimination worldwide."
Borrell admitted that some people despise the metaphor due to the way US "neo-cons" have utilized it.
He continued, "I am distant from this school of political thought.”
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