SWEDEN: JAN ELIASSON NAMED FOREIGN MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000426

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN: JAN ELIASSON NAMED FOREIGN MINISTER

REF: STOCKHOLM 393

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Stephen V. Noble, reason 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (u) Prime Minister Goran Persson named 3/27 former
Ambassador to the U.S. and current President of the UNGA Jan
Eliasson to be the new Foreign Minister. Eliasson replaces
Bosse Ringholm, who was named March 21 as the "temporary"
Foreign Minister, following the resignation of Laila
Freivalds (reftel). Minister for Development and Cooperation
Carin Jamtin, who had been seen as the odds-on favorite for
the top MFA post, gained the additional title of Vice-Foreign
Minister, and will be acting until Eliasson takes over April

24. Eliasson will continue to serve as UNGA President until
his term ends in September. Beginning in May, Eliasson will
spend an increasing amount of time in Stockholm.


2. (u) Eliasson brings substantial international experience
to the position, having served as Ambassador to the U.S. from
2000-2005, and as the MFA's State Secretary for Foreign
Affairs from 1994-2000. From 1988-1992 he was Sweden's
Ambassador to the U.N. Eliasson, 65, is married to Kerstin
Eliasson, who is Sweden's State Secretary for Education and
Science. They have three grown children. A full bio has
been emailed to EUR/NB.

3, (u) At the press conference following the announcement,
Eliasson described relations between Sweden and the U.S. as
good, noting that there had been some differences on matters
such as Iraq. He said that the U.S. was the world's most
powerful country, the "new Rome," and that it was important
to have good bilateral relations. He noted that he had
accompanied PM Persson for meetings with President Bush and
with President Clinton.

Comment
--------------

4. (c) Eliasson is well-respected in Stockholm and among the
MFA bureaucracy. The expectation is that he will provide a
sense of a new direction and get the MFA past post-tsunami
criticisms. At the press conference, Eliasson sounded eager
to participate in the elections, and cited his long-standing
(but loose) relationship with the Social Democrat party. As
Foreign Minister during a campaign period, it is expected
that Jan Eliasson, who is no political wall-flower, and whom
the press sometimes call "Jag" ("I") Eliasson, will work to
dispel the impression that the MFA is adrift.


5. (c) Eliasson is well-known at top levels in Washington.
The MFA had asked us to hold, if possible, the 21 April
meeting originally scheduled between Secretary Rice former
Foreign Minister Freivalds for the new incumbent. It is not
clear at this juncture how the Swedes will sort out that
request, with Jamtin serving as acting Foreign Minister until
April 24, and Eliasson in New York at the UNGA.

(drafted POL:CChristensen)
NOBLE