Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven (R) and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a joint news conference in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, on Jan. 31, 2017. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday criticized the U.S. decision to ban entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries as anti-Muslim bias. (Xinhua/Rob Schoenbaum)

STOCKHOLM, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday criticized the U.S. decision to ban entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries as anti-Muslim bias.

"It is deeply regrettable that the United States has suspended all travels from citizens of seven countries. That's anything but good." said Lofven.

"Fighting terrorism does not justify going against an entire group of people from a specific faith," Merkel emphasized, reiterating her comments earlier this week.

Under an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday, refugees from all over the world will be suspended from entering the United States for 120 days while all immigration from so-called "countries with terrorism concerns" will be suspended for 90 days.

Countries included in the ban are Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The total population from these countries exceeds 130 million.

Aside from the travel ban, the two leaders also exchanged ideas on topics of the refugee crisis, Brexit, etc.

"We need a more harmonized legislation and for all EU countries to share the responsibility on taking in refugees," Lofven said.

More work needed to be done to ensure people do not need to flee in the first place, Lofven said.

Merkel also said that international cooperation was a "must" to tackle the current refugee challenges faced by the EU.

 

Visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) addresses a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, on Jan. 31, 2017. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday criticized the U.S. decision to ban entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries as anti-Muslim bias. (Xinhua/Rob Schoenbaum)

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven (C-R) and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C-L) attend a joint news conference in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, on Jan. 31, 2017. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday criticized the U.S. decision to ban entry of citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries as anti-Muslim bias. (Xinhua/Rob Schoenbaum)