Former British diplomat accused of racism for commenting on Arab mind
LONDON – The former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Sherard Cowper-Coles, has been accused of racism.
Cowper-Coles, who now holds a senior position at HSBC, is alleged to have commented to Oxford students that the “Arab mind is empty.”
The former diplomat made his comments in an impromptu speech welcoming students to the university.
He also reportedly said that he wished he had learned Chinese instead of Arabic because China was apparently “more interesting.”
Several attendees at the dinner condemned Cowper-Coles’ remarks, calling them racist and offensive.
Cowper-Coles rejected the accusations of racism, saying his remarks were “selective” and taken out of context.
He added that his remarks did not reflect the views of HSBC.
HSBC has stated that Cowper-Coles’ comments do not reflect the views of the company.
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