STOCKHOLM, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Sweden, the European country worst hit by the earthquake-triggered Indian Ocean tsunami, observed a three-minute silence midday Wednesday to mourn the victims of the disaster.

    At 12 noon in Stockholm, all Swedish parliament members gathered in silence for three minutes to remember those killed in the tsunami which has so far claimed more than 150,000 lives in southeast Asia.

    Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson held a short memorial ceremony at his government headquarters attended by all party leaders and government employees.

    Persson said at a press conference Tuesday that 52 Swedes were confirmed dead in the disaster, 701 remain missing and 1,202 are unaccounted for.

    Subways, railways, buses and taxis stopped running and shops across the country suspended business at 12 noon for three minutes.Ski resorts in central and northern Sweden halted cable car services and the Stockholm bourse suspended trading.

    Also joining the memorial service was the toll station at the bridge linking Sweden and Denmark where staff gathered under the two countries' national flags in silence.

    Luxembourg, which holds the rotating presidency of the EuropeanUnion (EU), earlier called on all 25 member states and EU institutions to observe a silence to show solidarity and mourn thevictims of the disaster.

    Denmark, which held a silent vigil on Sunday for the tsunami dead, did not observe the EU-initiated silence Wednesday, but flags were lowered to half-mast across the country. Enditem