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FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9815
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 1251
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0265

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000234 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/22/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER SW IS
SUBJECT: SWEDEN ON RELATIONS WITH HAMAS 
 
REF: STATE 27174 
 
Classified By: Polcouns Casey Christensen, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
¶1.  (c) MFA Director for the Near East and North Africa Peter 
Tejler told us 2/22 that while Sweden hewed to the common 
line of the Quartet and the EU on the message to and contacts 
with Hamas, there was need for a strategy that went beyond 
"high-pitched" public diplomacy.  Sweden's Palestinian 
assistance is channeled through the PLO, not the PA, thereby 
avoiding the issue of future Hamas dominance of the PA. 
Tejler said the GoS is concerned about funding for the 
Palestinians and would like to know U.S. views on Israel's 
withholding of tax payment transfers.  End Summary. 
 
Holding the Line on Contacts with Hamas 
--------------------------------------- 
¶2.  (c) Polcouns made 2/22 reftel demarche on meeting with 
Hamas to MFA Director for the Near East and North Africa 
Peter Tejler.  Tejler said that Sweden, the EU, and the 
Quartet were all laying down the same conditions.  Tejler 
said Sweden's policy was to have no official contacts with 
Hamas.  No political-level meetings were foreseen, nor, he 
added, would there be meetings with Hamas at his level.  The 
GoS had no plans for official visits to Israel and the 
Palestinian areas until after the Israeli elections. 
 
¶3.  (c) The GoS did not speak directly with Hamas.  While 
this policy was not under review, it was clear, Tejler said, 
that we need to understand better the factions in Hamas. 
Hamas was both a terrorist organization and a political 
party.  He added that as it assumes power, we will need to 
assess how it is developing, and the positions it takes. 
Tejler said that when he was in Israel in December 2005, he 
had spoken with Israeli analysts who had recognized there 
were a number of strains within Hamas, and it was not yet 
clear how they would sort out as it assumed power.  Tejler 
said the Israelis themselves had contacts with Hamas. 
 
Getting the Message Across 
-------------------------- 
¶4.  (c) Tejler said that in the context of the official and 
high-pitched rhetoric that is currently being used on all 
sides, Hamas would not be able change what it is saying.  He 
did not foresee a repeal of the 1988 Hamas platform.  At the 
same time, he said, we should keep in mind other instances of 
transitions from terrorist to political organizations, 
including the beginnings of the PLO and groups involved in 
the founding of Israel.  In order to provide opportunities 
for that kind of transition, Tejler said there needed to be 
more than just public diplomacy.  Interlocutors to whom more 
could be communicated than a few bullet points would be 
needed.  Tejler said there was a discussion within the EU on 
the conditions for dealing with Hamas and how to go about 
getting an answer from them.  It should not be expected, 
Tejler said, that the answer would be a public one. 
 
¶5.  (c) One of the factors to be taken into account in 
connection with a Hamas-led government, Tejler said, is what 
kind of mandate Hamas received in the election.  It did not 
receive a mandate to "throw Israel into the sea." 
 
¶6.  (c) Tejler said Sweden had seen no evidence of terrorist 
incidents sponsored by Hamas since the Palestinian elections, 
and little during the autumn period running up to the 
elections.  In terms of terrorist violence, the current 
problem might be, he added, more with the al-Aqsa Brigade and 
Islamic Jihad.  These other sources of violence could, in 
turn, present a problem for Hamas in its governmental role. 
 
Sweden's Assistance Channeled Through the PLO 
--------------------------------------------- 
¶7.  (c) Tejler confirmed press reports that Sweden was 
increasing Palestinian assistance.  The five-million Euros of 
Palestinian assistance recently reported was a "technical 
roll-over" of an existing program.  Tejler underscored that 
Sweden provides no assistance to the Palestinian Authority. 
All of Sweden's assistance goes to the PLO; even its 
assistance to civil society is provided within this 
framework.  Tejler said President Abbas had recently stressed 
his role as head of the PLO.  For its part, Hamas is on the 
Terrorist list, its assets are frozen, and Sweden makes no 
contributions to it.  At the same time, Tejler noted that 
Sweden had been providing, even before the recent elections, 
assistance to two communities that have Hamas-led 
governments. 
 
A Message to Israel 
------------------- 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000234  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶8.  (c) Sweden also believed that the international 
community's requirements of the Israeli government should be 
made very clear.  As an occupying power, Israel had a 
responsibility to provide support to the Palestinians. 
Israel's failure to make tax transfer payments to the 
Palestinians went against the terms of the Oslo Agreement. 
Tejler said Sweden would like to know the U.S. views on 
Israel's withholding of the tax payment transfers.  Sweden 
was concerned that it "would need to cough up more funds for 
the Palestinians if the Israelis do not."  In addition, 
Sweden was concerned that Israel could also not allow 
transfer of equipment by third parties, including equipment 
destined for the EU police-training program for the 
Palestinians. 
 
Comment -- and Action Request 
----------------------------- 
¶9.  (c) Tejler was keen to note that we are on the same sheet 
of music.  At the same time, Sweden has a major commitment to 
the Palestinians, and tends to take a hard line with Israel. 
In the past, Foreign Minister Freivalds has frequently chided 
Israel publicly, including over the issue of withholding 
transfers of funds to the Palestinians.  Tejler has noted 
that she has so far refrained from doing this again -- but 
Sweden is concerned about how the Palestinians will be 
funded, and are keen to have our views on the withholding of 
tax transfer payments. 
 
Drafted by POL:CChristensen 
NOBLE