UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000430

SIPDIS


FOR EUR/NCE AND EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV SW LO UNSC
SUBJECT: SWEDISH DG FOR POL AFFAIRS ON SWEDEN AND THE UN



1. On May 31, the Swedish Embassy in Bratislava hosted a
seminar on Global Security and the United Nations (UN), in
conjunction with the Slovak Foreign Policy Association, as
part of their commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the
birth of Dag Hammarskojld. As part of the morning program,
Ambassador Olof Skoog, Director General for Political
Affairs at the Swedish Foreign Ministry, outlined his
thoughts on recent UN failures, successes, and strategies
that "smaller countries" like Sweden and Slovakia should
keep in mind when sitting on the UN Security Council. The
meeting was well-attended by European Ambassadors resident
in Bratislava, academics, and Slovak government personnel.

SKOOG: UN COULD HAVE DONE MORE ON IRAQ


2. Skoog, who served as Executive Assistant to Hans Blix
during the lead-up to Operation Iraqi Freedom, said that
the UN is not free of blame for the "technically illegal"
invasion of Iraq. He noted that while there were UN member
states that were not willing to allow inspections to
continue, the UN also was not willing to explore other
options when it came to pressuring Saddam Hussein, such as
the credible threat of force.

FRUSTRATED BY LACK OF DEFINITION FOR "TERRORISM"


3. Prescribing more involvement by "capitals" in the UN
conflict resolution process, Skoog also described
development as "key" to conflict resolution, and pointed
out that there remain difficulties to overcome; the body,
for example, still cannot accurately define "terrorism,"
due to what Skoog felt was a dragging of the feet by Arab
states hesitant to object to suicide bombers in Israel.
When it comes to suicide bombers, "Let's call it what it
is," he suggested, "violence against civilians is
terrorism." How can we fight evil, he asked, if we can't
even call it by name?

WHAT THE UN NEEDS: REFORM AND MORE INVOLVEMENT BY "SMALL
STATES"


4. Skoog said that Sweden does not sanction the preemptive
use of force as was seen in Iraq. "We were against
preemptive action in Russia against militants following the
Beslan attack, and we were against its use in Iraq by the
United States. But we should not hide behind the Charter
when atrocities are occurring."


5. The UNSC must be reformed, he claimed, as the world has
changed since the 1940's. While the G4 is calling for the
creation of additional vetoes, Skoog said Sweden "is
skeptical" as to whether giving the UNSC more seats and
more vetoes will make the body more efficient. He also
suggested that countries like Sweden and Slovakia take a
higher profile, particularly regarding human rights, as
violators "have to be engaged, but can't be given control
of the process as is the case with Libya."

THAYER


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