VZCZCXRO8489
OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSM #0032/01 0160706
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 160706Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4037
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHSK/AMEMBASSY MINSK IMMEDIATE 0119
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 1220
RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI IMMEDIATE 0145

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/15/2019 
TAGS: PREL GG SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH POLDIR ON GEORGIA AND EASTERN PARTNERSHIP 
 
REF: A. STATE 134559 
     ¶B. 2008 BERLIN 1692 
     ¶C. 2008 WARSAW 1409 
     ¶D. 2008 STOCKHOLM 792 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: MFA Political Director Lyrvall told us on 
January 15: 
 
-- Sweden sees "eye-to-eye" with the USG on Georgia and the 
separatist regions, but had been frustrated that a "harder 
line" was being resisted by other EU members who wanted to 
"move on"; 
 
-- Within the EU, Sweden would continue to highlight the 
strategic implications of Russia's invasion of Georgia; 
 
-- On the Eastern Partnership initiative, Ukraine is the most 
enthusiastic of the six states, and he hoped EU leaders would 
bless the project during their May summit, though there are 
issues about inviting Belarus President Lukashenko and some 
new EU members may raise objections related to their Russian 
gas dependency. 
 
End Summary. 
 
Eastern Partnership On Track, But Obstacles Remain 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶2. (C) DCM and Political Counselor met January 15 with 
Swedish MFA Political Director Bjorn Lyrvall, who opened the 
meeting by saying he was leaving later in the day for Ukraine 
to discuss the Eastern Partnership.  Of the six Eastern 
Partnership states, Ukraine had moved the closest to the EU, 
according to Lyrvall, even though Kiev felt some unhappiness 
over the EU's Eastern Neighborhood Policy, which was seen as 
a "top-down plan" imposed by Brussels.  In contrast, 
Ukrainians feel an increased sense of ownership of the 
Eastern Partnership, Lyrvall said.  The European Commission 
proposals for implementing the Partnership are now being 
discussed by EU member states, Lyrvall continued, and Sweden 
will do what it can to ensure that the proposals are not 
"watered down."  Some of the "Southerners" are concerned over 
the amount of money to be spent in the East, so Sweden, 
Poland and other like-minded states will need to work hard to 
preserve the project, he noted.  Moreover, Lyrvall stated, 
while the Germans support the Eastern Partnership in 
principle, they are showing some "sensitivity" over the 
details, such as visa liberalization for the six states (Refs 
B and C). 
 
¶3. (C) Lyrvall stated that the current energy crisis between 
the Ukraine and Russia could have "dire implications" that 
risk complicating Eastern Partnership implementation because 
some EU member states place the blame squarely on the 
shoulders of Ukraine.  Lyrvall said it was not clear who the 
"good guys" are, noting EU monitors have reported that the 
Russians are moving gas in a "very complicated way."  But in 
any case, Lyrvall continued, "we cannot count on full support 
from certain states" -- including Slovakia, Romania and 
Bulgaria -- for "goodies" for Ukraine. 
 
¶4. (C) The Czechs want to see the Eastern Partnership 
initiative adopted at the European Council in March and plan 
to invite the six heads of state to the EU summit in May, 
Lyrvall stated.  "There will of course be problems with 
Lukashenko," he continued, adding that Lukashenko would need 
to deliver "something in advance, something more than he has 
done so far," before being invited to his first meeting with 
European leaders in six years.  Lyrvall noted that Lukashenko 
has been good on Georgia to date, refusing to recognize the 
separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but he 
questioned whether Minsk would ultimately be forced to yield 
to increasing Russian pressure. 
 
Georgia: Sweden and U.S. See "Eye-to-Eye" 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) DCM delivered reftel talking points on Georgia, and 
Lyrvall replied that Sweden "sees eye-to-eye" with the United 
States on these issues and had been trying to push a "harder 
line" within the EU, albeit with limited success.  Lyrvall 
commented on Georgia fatigue within the EU, a "backlash 
reaction" from some states arguing that it is time to "move 
on."  A number of EU states have problems with any "sticks" 
proposed for South Ossetia and Abkhazia, he added. 
 
¶6. (C) It was still possible to "get focus" from European 
foreign ministers on the OSCE mission, however, and Lyrvall 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000032  002 OF 002 
 
 
stated that the Greek OSCE chair had put together a number of 
clever ideas for new OSCE missions to the region.  The Greeks 
had had some discussions with the Georgians and Russians on 
an "elegant formula that could fly," involving a special kind 
of security and stabilization mission in South Ossetia and 
"Georgia proper" to be run out of Vienna that would operate 
in parallel with the monitoring mission.  But beyond OSCE, it 
was becoming very hard now to keep Georgia on the agenda, he 
said.  Sweden will continue to make clear that Europe must 
not underestimate the strategic implication of Russia's 
attack on Georgia, concluded Lyrvall. 
 
WOOD