VZCZCXRO4138
PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR
DE RUEHSM #0032/01 0211310
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 211310Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5063
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STOCKHOLM 000032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/21/2020 
TAGS: PREL PGOV AF IR BK EUN SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN'S POINTS ON 25 JANUARY FAC 
 
REF: A. A. STOCKHOLM 13 
     ¶B. B. STOCKHOLM 24 
 
Classified By: Acting PolCouns Briana Olsen for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Embassy Stockholm delivered FAC demarche 
points on January 20 to the EU Correspondent's Office Deputy 
Kristin Forsgren-Bengtsson, Head of the Gulf Section Gufran 
Al-Nadal, and Head of the Asia and East Asia Department Klas 
Mohlin.  Their main points were: 
 
-- The London Conference should focus on election reform and 
drug eradication; 
 
-- The international community should focus more on Yemen's 
political and economic issues; 
 
-- The January FAC is unlikely to issue a new statement on 
Iran; 
 
-- HighRep Ashton is very engaged on Bosnia, but swift action 
needs to be taken on the follow-up to Butmir; Spain needs to 
get in touch with key U.S. actors. 
 
-- The EU must find an alternative to Kenya to take in 
pirates captured by the Atalanta Mission.  End Summary. 
 
Afghanistan/Pakistan and the London Conference 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2. (SBU) Forsgren-Bengtsson said the FAC will prepare for the 
London Conference.  The draft documents will not arrive until 
this weekend, so there is not much turn around time for 
capitals to prepare to coordinate an EU message.  The FAC 
will not produce Council Conclusions, but a draft text for 
the London Conference might emerge.  Sweden wants to 
emphasize reforming the electoral procedures and drug 
eradication (ref A). 
 
¶3. (C) In a separate meeting (ref B), Klas Molin said he 
fully understood the focus on a conditions-based approach and 
that Sweden would make plans for its ongoing participation in 
ISAF based on conditions that prevail in the four provinces 
of its PRT.  Sweden has had, and plans to have, a long-term 
presence in Afghanistan, he added.  Molin agreed that ISAF 
members need to maintain a unified message on these points. 
 
Soft on Yemen and Iran 
---------------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Gufran Al-Nadal, Head of Gulf Section, told PolCouns 
that during its EU Presidency, Sweden called attention to 
Yemen's fragile state through numerous EU statements and 
Council Resolutions.  With the EU Presidency now over, Sweden 
is "rethinking in bilateral terms" its work there.  Sweden's 
current development assistance includes projects for women 
and children in Yemen led by the Swedish NGO Save the 
Children and the Swedish Red Cross.  Al-Nadal expressed 
support for USAID's work in the region. 
 
¶5. (C) Al-Nadal pointed out that Sweden does not have an 
Embassy in Yemen.  All the Swedish work is channeled through 
the Embassy in Riyadh although she noted that there is an EU 
delegation in Yemen, of which half of the staff consists of 
diplomats.  Several times, Al-Nadal stressed the importance 
of taking a broader perspective in Yemen.  While the current 
focus on anti-terrorism is important, Al-Nadal called for 
more attention to political and economic issues, and she 
emphasized the importance of engagement with Yemen's 
neighbors, including Saudi Arabia and countries in the Horn 
of Africa.  Al-Nadal concluded that Sweden "is open to all 
information on Yemen that the U.S." and others are willing to 
share. 
 
¶6. (C) On Iran, Al-Nadal said that Sweden is waiting for the 
UN Security Council to begin work on a new resolution.  She 
indicated that the EU is unlikely to issue a new statement at 
the January  FAC because these issues were already included 
in the European Council's December declaration. 
Bilaterially, "Sweden is not a big supporter of sanctions," 
Al-Nadal said. 
 
Bosnia: Thank Goodness for Ashton! 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Forsgren-Bengtsson said a follow-up discussion of the 
Butmir will occur at lunch, with a later discussion on the 
future of the Althea mission.  Sweden is very much encouraged 
by HighRep Ashton's engagement and coordination of the issue; 
Forsgren-Bengtsson implied that Spain was not taking a 
leading role in this and should "get in touch with the right 
U.S. actors immediately."  Sweden is still concerned that 
Bosnian leaders are not serious about talking the right steps 
 
STOCKHOLM 00000032  002 OF 002 
 
 
to bring Bosnia closer to the EU, as other Western Balkan 
countries have done. 
 
¶8. (C) Conclusions on Althea failed at both the November and 
December GAERCs, but are likely this time, Forsgren-Bengtsson 
said.  Spain and others are signaling that they want to 
withdraw from the mission, while the UK -- which does not 
have troops in Althea -- is pushing for Member States to 
stay.  The conclusions will focus on the non-executive 
mission to start training and security sector reform.  Member 
States agree that Althea's presence should remain through the 
October 2010 election, but Sweden would like to see an end 
date for Althea's withdrawal.  However, Forsgren-Bengtsson 
doubts this will happen and Althea will continue in 
accordance with the UN's mandate. 
 
Somalia: Too many pirates! 
-------------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) No decision will be taken on Somalia, just a 
discussion between HighRep Ashton and the Spanish Presidency. 
 Member States have differing opinions on whether or not the 
EU should send a training mission to Somalia.  As to 
Atalanta, the EU must discuss what to do with the captured 
pirates, now that Kenya is no longer accepting them. 
Forsgren-Bengtsson said the EU needs to find alternative 
countries, but human rights concerns are pervasive.  The 
Seychelles, however, might be willing to take the captured 
pirates.  Some Member States want Council conclusions, but 
Forsgren-Bengtsson thinks such are unlikely. 
 
Changes to Agenda 
----------------- 
 
-- (SBU) Ukraine was removed because "the elections turned 
out as expected" but will be on the February FAC agenda due 
to the second round of elections. 
-- (SBU) Haiti was added due to the earthquake.  The 
discussion on Monday will focus on how the EU can add value 
to the UN's security forces.  The Swedish Ministry of Defense 
is currently analyzing the number of troops, type of 
equipment and financial assistance it can offer to the EU's 
support of the UN. 
 
-- (U) Serbia was "never on the agenda", said 
Forsgren-Bengtsson. 
BARZUN