

Currently released so far... 12404 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
ASEC
AE
AF
AM
AR
AJ
AU
AORC
AG
AEMR
AMGT
APER
AGMT
AL
AFIN
AO
AMED
ADCO
AS
ABUD
ABLD
ASUP
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
APECO
AID
AND
AMBASSADOR
AN
ARM
AY
AODE
AMG
ASCH
AMCHAMS
ARF
APCS
APEC
ASEAN
AGAO
ANET
ADPM
ACOA
ACABQ
AORL
AFFAIRS
ATRN
ACS
AFSI
AFSN
ADANA
ASIG
AA
AX
AUC
AC
AECL
AADP
AGRICULTURE
AMEX
ACAO
ACBAQ
AQ
AORG
ADM
AINF
AIT
ASEX
AGR
AROC
ATFN
AFGHANISTAN
AFU
AER
ALOW
AZ
AVERY
BA
BY
BU
BR
BE
BL
BO
BK
BM
BILAT
BH
BEXP
BF
BTIO
BC
BBSR
BMGT
BTIU
BG
BWC
BB
BD
BX
BP
BRUSSELS
BN
BIDEN
BT
CW
CH
CF
CD
CV
CVIS
CM
CE
CA
CJAN
CLINTON
CIA
CU
CASC
CI
CO
CACM
CDB
CN
CMGT
CS
CG
CBW
CIS
CR
CONDOLEEZZA
CPAS
CAN
CWC
CY
COUNTER
CDG
CL
CT
CIC
CIDA
CSW
CHR
CB
CODEL
COUNTERTERRORISM
CTR
COM
CICTE
CFED
CJUS
CKGR
CBSA
CEUDA
CARSON
CONS
CITEL
CLMT
CROS
CITT
CAC
CVR
CDC
CAPC
COPUOS
CBC
CBE
CARICOM
COE
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CTM
CNARC
ECON
EFIN
ETRD
EUN
EFIS
EG
ETTC
EZ
EPET
EAID
EAGR
ENRG
ECUN
EU
ELAB
ECPS
EAIR
EINV
ELTN
EWWT
EIND
EMIN
EI
ECIN
ENVR
ELECTIONS
EINVEFIN
EN
ES
ER
EC
EUC
EINT
EINVETC
ENGR
ET
EK
ENIV
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ECONOMY
EAP
EFTA
EUR
EUMEM
EXIM
ERD
ENERG
EUREM
ESA
ERNG
EXTERNAL
EPA
EINVECONSENVCSJA
ECONOMICS
ELN
EINN
EFINECONCS
ENNP
EEPET
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ENVI
ETRO
ESENV
ECINECONCS
ECONOMIC
EAIDS
EDU
ETRA
ETRN
EFIM
EIAR
ETRC
EAIG
EXBS
EURN
ECIP
EREL
ECA
ENGY
ECONCS
ECONEFIN
ETC
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUNCH
EINDETRD
IR
IZ
IS
IAEA
INRB
IRAJ
IQ
IN
IT
IMO
INTERPOL
ICAO
IO
IC
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
ICTY
ID
IPR
IWC
ILC
INTELSAT
IL
IBRD
IMF
IA
IRC
ICRC
ILO
ITU
ITRA
IV
IDA
IAHRC
ICJ
ISRAELI
IRS
INMARSAT
ISRAEL
ISLAMISTS
INDO
IZPREL
ITPHUM
ITPGOV
ITF
IBET
IEFIN
INR
IACI
INTERNAL
IDP
IGAD
IEA
ICTR
IIP
INRA
INRO
IF
KJUS
KSCA
KNNP
KU
KCOR
KCRM
KDEM
KTFN
KHLS
KPAL
KWBG
KACT
KGHG
KPAO
KTIA
KIRF
KWMN
KS
KG
KZ
KN
KMDR
KISL
KSPR
KHIV
KPRP
KAWK
KR
KUNR
KDRG
KCIP
KGCC
KTIP
KSUM
KPKO
KVIR
KAWC
KPIN
KGIC
KRAD
KIPR
KOLY
KCFE
KMCA
KE
KV
KICC
KNPP
KBCT
KSEP
KFRD
KFLU
KVPR
KOCI
KBIO
KSTH
KMPI
KCRS
KOMC
KTBT
KPLS
KIRC
KREL
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFLO
KBTS
KSTC
KTDB
KFSC
KX
KFTFN
KNEI
KIDE
KREC
KMRS
KICA
KPAONZ
KCGC
KSAF
KRGY
KCMR
KRVC
KVRP
KSEO
KCOM
KAID
KTEX
KNUC
KNAR
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KLIG
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCRCM
KHDP
KGIT
KNSD
KOMS
KWMM
KPAI
KHSA
KTLA
KO
KMFO
KRCM
KCSY
KSAC
KTRD
KPWR
KID
KWNM
KRIM
KPOA
KCHG
KOM
KSCI
KFIN
KMOC
KESS
KWAC
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KPRV
KBTR
KERG
KTER
KDDG
KPAK
KRFD
KHUM
KDEV
KCFC
KWWMN
KWMNCS
KJUST
MARR
MOPS
MU
MTCRE
MNUC
MY
MASS
MCAP
MOPPS
MAR
MPOS
MO
ML
MR
MASC
MX
MD
MP
MA
MTRE
MIL
MCC
MZ
MK
MDC
MRCRE
MAPS
MV
MI
MEPN
MAPP
MEETINGS
MAS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MTCR
MG
MC
MARAD
MIK
MILITARY
MEDIA
MEPI
MUCN
MEPP
MT
MERCOSUR
MW
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
NZ
NATO
NG
NI
NO
NATIONAL
NU
NPT
NIPP
NL
NPG
NS
NA
NGO
NP
NSG
NDP
NAFTA
NR
NC
NH
NE
NSF
NPA
NK
NSSP
NRR
NATOPREL
NSC
NT
NW
NORAD
NEW
NV
NSFO
NAR
NASA
NZUS
OTRA
OVIP
OPRC
OPDC
OSCE
OAS
ODIP
OIIP
OFDP
OVP
OREP
OFFICIALS
OSAC
OEXC
OPCW
OIE
OIC
OFDA
OSCI
OPIC
OBSP
OECD
ON
OCII
OHUM
OES
OCS
OMIG
OPAD
OTR
PGOV
PREL
PHUM
PINR
PTER
PSOE
PINS
PARM
PK
PBTS
PEPR
PM
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PREF
PBIO
PROP
PA
PSI
PINT
PO
PKFK
PL
PAK
PE
POLITICS
PINL
POL
PHSA
PU
PF
POV
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PARMS
PRGOV
PNAT
POLINT
PRAM
PMAR
PG
PAO
PROG
PRELP
PPA
PCUL
PSEPC
PSA
PREO
PAHO
PGIV
PREFA
PALESTINIAN
PAIGH
POSTS
PTBS
PGOVLO
PORG
PGOVE
PLN
PINF
PAS
PUNE
POLICY
PDEM
PDOV
PCI
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PBT
PHUMPGOV
PMIL
PNG
PP
PS
PHUH
PECON
POGOV
PY
PHUMPREL
PHUS
PRL
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
PEL
RS
RU
RW
REGION
RP
RICE
ROBERT
RSP
RUPREL
RM
RO
RCMP
RSO
RELATIONS
REACTION
REPORT
RIGHTS
ROOD
RF
RFE
RIGHTSPOLMIL
SP
SA
SY
SF
SYR
SENV
SCUL
SOCI
SNAR
SO
SU
SG
STEINBERG
SHUM
SW
SMIG
SR
SZ
SIPRS
SI
SAARC
SPCE
SARS
SN
SYRIA
SANC
SL
SCRS
SC
SENVKGHG
SAN
SNARCS
SHI
SWE
SNARIZ
SIPDIS
SEN
SNARN
SPCVIS
SEVN
SSA
SH
SOFA
SK
ST
TPHY
TU
TRGY
TI
TX
TS
TW
TC
TFIN
TD
TSPA
TH
TT
TIP
TBIO
TSPL
TZ
TERRORISM
TRSY
TN
THPY
TINT
TF
TL
TV
TK
TO
TP
TURKEY
TNGD
TBID
TAGS
TR
UP
US
UNSC
UK
UZ
UE
UNESCO
UV
UNGA
UN
UNMIK
UNO
UY
UAE
UNEP
UG
UNHCR
UNHRC
USUN
UNAUS
USTR
USNC
USOAS
UNCHR
UNCSD
UNDP
USEU
USPS
UNDC
UNDESCO
UNCHC
UNFICYP
UNC
UNODC
UNPUOS
UNCND
UNICEF
UNCHS
UNVIE
USAID
UNIDROIT
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 09STOCKHOLM266, SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER BILDT'S WASHINGTON AGENDA
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #09STOCKHOLM266.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
09STOCKHOLM266 | 2009-04-29 15:03 | 2011-02-18 00:12 | SECRET | Embassy Stockholm |
Appears in these articles: http://rt.com/news/sweden-us-information-swedish/ |
VZCZCXRO2245
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV
DE RUEHSM #0266/01 1191514
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 291514Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4317
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 STOCKHOLM 000266
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV EUN SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER BILDT'S WASHINGTON AGENDA
REF: A. STOCKHOLM 259
¶B. BRUSSELS 537
¶C. STOCKHOLM 192
¶D. STOCKHOLM 65
Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).
¶1. (S) Summary: For Bildt's May 4 visit to Washington, we recommend the following top three issues: additional contributions in Afghanistan, resettlement of Guantanamo detainees, and leadership in the EU on autonomous sanctions on Iran. Given Sweden's upcoming EU Presidency, July-December 2009, early action now on these topics could spur other EU Member States. Other issues he is coming with include security relations with Russia, Turkish EU accession, the deteriorating situation in Bosnia, and support for Ukraine and the Baltics. During his meeting with the Secretary, Bildt will extend an invitation for her to meet with EU ministers on the margins of the September 4-5 Gymnich in Stockholm, and he will inquire about the possibility of Prime Minister Reinfeldt visiting the White House before Sweden's EU Presidency commences on July 1 (Ref D). End Summary. Carl Bildt: Medium Size Dog with Big Dog Attitude
--------------------------------------------- ----
¶2. (S) Bildt represents a medium-size country (9.5 million, $350 billion annual GDP) that has some major power ambitions and capabilities, and which looks forward to working closely with us on its upcoming EU Presidency. Sweden has the world's 7th largest foreign aid program (nearly $5 billion), focused on Africa and the Middle East. The largest Nordic country, with the legacy of a Baltic empire, it often takes regional leadership roles (e.g., leading a PRT in Afghanistan with Finland and Norway). It also has a tradition of international civil servants including Jan Eliasson (Darfur), Rolf Ekeus and Hans Blix (Iraq) and Bildt himself (Bosnia). Bildt, formerly a prime minister from 1991-1994, made a surprise come-back as foreign minister under the Moderate Party-led alliance government elected in 2006. He is widely respected in Sweden as an elder statesman (he is 60 while Prime Minister Reinfeldt is 42), and has a free hand in running foreign policy at present. But he is not close to Reinfeldt and has limited political skills (often seen as a haughty member of the nobility, not the image which Reinfeldt and the new Moderates seek to project). Some rumors in Stockholm have him moving on after Sweden's EU Presidency finishes in December, perhaps to a senior job in Brussels. But for many European observers, he is seen as too close to the British and the Americans to get full French or German backing to replace Solana in the High Representative role.
Afghanistan
-----------
¶3. (C) Sweden has some 400 troops based in four provinces in Regional Command-North, joined by an additional 200 Norwegians and Finns. The Swedes will expand to 500 troops by the end of 2009, including a second OMLT at brigade level, plus a C-130 at ISAF HQ's disposal and medevac helicopters coming in 2010-2011. Recent security incidents in and around the Swedish PRT in Mazar-e Sharif involved the ambush and killing of ten Afghan police officers, and firing on Swedish troops. Given the rising threat level, Sweden deployed 40 special operations troops to the PRT on April 20. Bildt will be interested in U.S. thinking on security trends, and should be asked about funding Afghanistan National Army training.
¶4. (C) On the civilian side, Sweden could -- and should -- do more. It currently has three officers in EUPOL and three more in training, but the head of the joint MoD/MFA-run training academy tells us that several dozen more Swedish policemen want to go to Afghanistan. We recommend USG interlocutors stress to Bildt the importance of Sweden doing more on EUPOL quickly, and then using its EU Presidency to lead EU-wide efforts to fully staff EUPOL.
Guantanamo
----------
¶5. (S) Sweden's Minister for Migration Tobias Billstrom has the lead on detainee resettlement, but FM Bildt is directly involved through his stewardship of the bilateral relationship. For the past few months, Swedish officials have told us they are considering accepting one or more detainees and the Swedish security service vetted and cleared five Uighurs and two non-Uighurs for possible resettlement. An independent agency, the Swedish Migration Board, makes the resettlement decisions, but the government has the ability to consult with the Board on groups of individuals of "particular interest." We recommend raising this with Bildt
STOCKHOLM 00000266 002 OF 003
during each of his Washington meetings, noting general UNHCR support for resettlement (which is important in Swedish refugee resettlement), and asking for Swedish leadership in the lead-up to its EU Presidency.
Iran
-----
¶6. (S) Sweden continues to lead efforts by a small number of EU members to raise concerns with EU autonomous sanctions on Iran (Ref B). Bildt is directing these efforts, for several reasons. For economic reasons, Sweden is generally skeptical about the effectiveness of sanctions and in particular with Iran, where Ericsson and Volvo Trucks, among other Swedish companies, have significant exports. Bildt may also hope to play a mediating role with Iran and may thus be trying to keep relations with Tehran warm. MFA POL Director Lyrvall recently told us he expects more discussion within the EU on why the Americans would be calling for sanctions now, before enough time has been given to the Iranians to respond to recent overtures (Ref A). Perhaps in a few months, possibly September, if Tehran has not responded, it might be time for Washington to "use the considerable political capital" it has built up to bring Russia and China along on a new UNSC resolution, he continued. We have urged the Swedes to focus on the existing UNSCRs, especially the enhanced vigilance language of UNSCR 1803, to give the EU3 the tools they are asking for, including support for additional designations.
Other Topics: Russia, Balkans, Turkey, Ukraine --------------------------------------------- -
¶7. (S) Russia: Last summer's Georgia crisis rattled Swedish security planning, causing a delay in the planned publication of the long-term defense bill. Given what the Swedes see as Russia's more threatening posture in the Baltic and High North, Bildt would like to compare views on threat analysis, engaging Russia militarily (Sweden stopped all mil-mil exchanges with the Russians last August) and the Medvedev security proposal. Bildt is reportedly worried about Greek plans for an informal OSCE ministerial in Corfu, and the possibility that Athens will unwisely push for a deal at any cost. Our intelligence cooperation with Sweden on Russia is excellent; DIA Director LTGEN Burgess will be here next week for exchanges with the Swedes on Russia and other topics.
¶8. (C) On the Balkans, Bildt will likely raise his concerns about Bosnia and the worrisome trends he sees there. We have asked the Swedes to continue supporting the EUPOL/Althea mission (even though they no longer have troops involved), but interlocutors here have increasingly been pushing the view that there is no longer a military mission requiring the presence of European troops. Bildt may raise his concerns about both "enlargement fatigue" and the growing unwillingness of other member states to move forward on deeper integration for the Western Balkans.
¶9. (C) On Turkey, the Swedes are leading the push in the EU to open new chapters for Turkey's accession talks. PM Reinfeldt, who normally defers to Bildt on foreign policy issues, is especially concerned about this issue; Reinfeldt visited Turkey after President Obama and echoed his message about support for Turkey's EU accession. Reinfeldt's staff tell us the Swedes are unhappy over what they perceive as a weakening of the British position on Turkish accession, and EU Minister Cecilia Malmstrom traveled to London April 28 to consult on Turkey with UK EU Minister Caroline Flynt. Bildt traveled to Cyprus in late April, and hosted northern Cypriot leader Talat in Stockholm as well, as part of the Swedish strategy of moving forward on Turkey's accession. Bildt will want to coordinate on ways ahead, possibly asking for more U.S. pressure on Ankara to allow Greek Cypriot fishing vessels into Turkish ports.
¶10. (C) Ukraine and the Baltics are of special interest given Sweden's traditional focus on countries that -- like it -- lie on Russia's periphery. Sweden's ambassador in Kyiv thinks a second tranche of IMF loans will keep the economy afloat for some months and that President Yushchenko and Prime Minister Tymoshenko seem to be working together on the IMF, if not on anything else. But they see Yushchenko losing power and assess that Tymoshenko would win a second-round runoff of the presidential election likely to be held this autumn. Bildt is worried that the closer Ukraine-EU ties envisioned by the Eastern Partnership are under threat. Sweden's support for the Baltics (e.g., it convened a meeting with other Nordics and the IMF to bail out Latvia in December) is motivated partly by a desire to prevent Baltic currency devaluations that could bankrupt Swedish banks, but also by Sweden's concern that these countries not slip back into the Russian economic sphere. Sweden just concluded a deal to build an undersea electrical cable to Lithuania, STOCKHOLM 00000266 003 OF 003 called Swedlink, that will provide 700-1,000 megawatts to the Baltics by 2016.
¶11. (C) Bildt will ask about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. He has focused his public remarks on humanitarian issues, urging that the Gaza border crossings be opened immediately. POL Director Lyrvall recently stressed to us that the international community cannot ignore Hamas; "Fatah-only elections would mean the end of the Palestinian state." On the possibility of an EU association agreement with Syria, Sweden has been in favor but is willing to wait to see the results of the elections in Lebanon. It has promised to consult with us before pushing for closer ties with Syria within the EU. SILVERMAN