VZCZCXRO7149
PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSM #0752/01 3150749
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 100749Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3880
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0091
RUEADWD/SECARMY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000752 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR FOR NB 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2018 
TAGS: EAID MCAP MOPS PGOV PREL AF SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN LIKELY TO UP ISAF TROOPS BY 100; BILL 
DELAYED UNTIL MID-NOVEMBER; 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Sweden has once again delayed the submission 
of its ISAF authorization bill to Parliament to November 
17-19, citing "differences in interpretation of the wording" 
as the main problem.  Sweden is discussing raising the number 
of troops in Afghanistan from 375 to around 500, by sending a 
C-130, medevac helicopters, support crews, and additional 
maneuver elements.  Sweden has earmarked 15-20 percent of its 
$60 million in aid (2007) for the four northern provinces, 
but admitted that locals in the North were seeing very little 
of this due to bottlenecks in Kabul.  Sweden would like to 
increase the number of civilian advisors to improve 
development in the North.  End Summary. 
 
SECURITY SITUATION 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (C) On November 4, MOD civilian staff, including Deputy 
Director Johanna Gardmark and Desk Officers Victoria Hjort 
and Cecilia Helander, and LTCOL Claes Bitterlich briefed 
Emboffs on Sweden's civilian and military commitment to 
Afghanistan.  Helander stated that security has deteriorated 
somewhat in the North, but that the situation was "stable." 
She cited criminal activities, ethnic disputes, corruption, 
drug smuggling, local power-brokers, opposition to the 
central government, and an insurgent attack on two NGO 
personnel in Mazar-e-Sharif in February as the major 
challenges. 
 
ISAF AUTHORIZATION BILL DELAYED (AGAIN) 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Hjort informed us that the draft ISAF extension bill, 
originally scheduled to have been submitted to Parliament in 
October and then rescheduled to early November, has been 
delayed yet again.  She cited interdepartmental "differences 
in interpreting the wording" of the draft text as the primary 
delay, but could not give us a date for submission. 
Separately, MFA officials offered that the bill could be 
submitted November 17-19.  The existing authorization expires 
December 20.  Separately, MFA contacts told POL Counselor 
that the differences are now being discussed between the 
state secretaries (i.e., deputies) in the MFA and Defense 
Ministry and relate to the specific number of civilian 
advisors and military maneuver elements to be authorized. 
Despite the delay, Helander commented that Sweden has 
contributed to ISAF since 2001 and emphasized that Sweden has 
a "long-term" commitment to Afghanistan. 
 
¶4. (C) As regards the proposed new bill, Helander said Sweden 
is discussing increasing the authorized troop ceiling, 
currently 600, and press reports cite military sources as 
indicating that the new bill might include language 
authorizing up to 800 troops.  But these figures represent 
permitted upper limits, allowing the Swedes to "surge" troops 
to Afghanistan in the event of an "emergency," according to 
MOD and MFA contacts.  The actual number of troops on the 
ground now is roughly 375, and the actual troop increase 
being considered is roughly 100, to operate a C-130, medevac 
helicopters, and possibly additional maneuver elements to 
supplement the one-rifle brigade currently deployed.  Of the 
above, only the C-130 would not have "geographical caveats" 
and be authorized to operate nationwide.  Helander noted that 
Sweden also wants to provide more military mentors to support 
OMLTs working with the Afghan National Army (ANA); there is 
apparently some discussion about geographical caveats for 
these troops, though MOD and MFA are urging that they be 
allowed to operate wherever their ANA trainees go. 
 
CIVILIAN-MILITARY COOPERATION 
----------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Hjort stated that the military-civilian cooperation 
works smoothly in the field, but is "hampered" by bureaucracy 
in Sweden.  She cited the lack of a "comprehensive strategy" 
as a problem for Sweden.  Hjort told us Sweden has 
established an "inter-agency" group consisting of the 
Ministry of Justice, MFA, MOD, SIDA, desk officers, Swedish 
Armed Forces and the Swedish Rescue Service to be led by the 
MFA.  She opined that the new group would meet weekly to 
ensure that "everyone is on the same page" and be able to 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000752  002 OF 002 
 
 
make quick decisions without needing Parliamentary approval. 
 
¶6. (C) Hjort confirmed that Sweden has earmarked 15-20 
percent of its $60 million in aid (2007) for the four 
northern provinces, but admitted that locals in the North 
were seeing very little of this.  She stated that the Swedish 
Embassy and SIDA are examining why the funds are being held 
up in Kabul.  Hjort opined that Sweden would like to send 
more civilian advisors to the North to improve development, 
adding that this would require greater logistical support on 
the ground. 
 
¶7. (C) Comment: SIDA's reported refusal to work with or near 
Swedish troops in the North presents a problem.  Without 
adequate protection, civilian development advisors may find 
it difficult to travel in some of the more isolated and 
dangerous areas of the four provinces.  Sweden,s Alliance 
government and most opposition parties say they support 
Sweden's long-term commitment to Afghanistan, but should 
security continue to deteriorate and Swedish casualties (only 
two to date) increase, public support might plunge.  End 
Comment. 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) In 2006, Sweden became the lead nation for the 
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) headquartered in 
Mazar-e-Sharif that is responsible for the provinces of 
Balkh, Samangan, Jowzjan, and Sar-e-Pul.  The PRT has a total 
of 500 people in Afghanistan, which includes roughly 370 
Swedish and nearly 100 Finnish troops, and two civilian 
advisors (one political and one development).  Military 
forces are based at Camp Northern Lights in Mazar-e-Sharif 
(MAZAR), a Norwegian field hospital, Military Observer Teams 
(MOTs) in Samangan, Jowzjan, and Sar-e-Pul provinces, and a 
National Intelligence Cell in Kabul.  Sweden also provides 
soldiers to two OMLTS based out of Camp Mike Spann, about 12 
kilometers from Mazar-e-Sharif. 
WOOD