SWEDEN: DEMARCHE ON MISSILE DEFENSE IN POLAND AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000214

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EUR A/S DAN FRIED, A/S PAULA DESUTTER, A/S ISN
JOHN ROOD
NSC FOR DAVID STEPHENS AND JUDY ANSLEY
OSD/P FOR BRIAN GREEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/28/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR EZ PL SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN: DEMARCHE ON MISSILE DEFENSE IN POLAND AND
THE CZECH REPUBLIC

REF: STATE 21649

Classified By: Polcouns Casey Christensen, reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (c) Polcouns met 2/28 with MFA Deputy Director General
for European and Global Security Ambassador Nils Daag
regarding negotiations for Poland and the Czech Republic to
host U.S. missile defense assets. Daag, whose portfolio has
just been expanded to include responsibility for the United
Nations as well as NATO, OSCE, and ESDP, was joined by the
MFA military adviser, Rear Admiral Bengt Johansson and desk
officers for European Security and Disarmament and
non-Proliferation. Daag said that Sweden considered the
negotiations on missile defense to be primarily a matter for
the governments concerned and did not plan to make any public
statements. He appreciated the information on the extent of
consultations that had taken place with Russia, noting that
Sweden emphasized the importance of dialogue, openness and
transparency in managing relations on this issue.


2. (c) Daag said Sweden had a particular interest in the
possible deployments, because they would be in its
neighborhood. Daag posed a series of questions: were there
other candidate countries; who would be responsible for
defending the sites, and what links were there to NATO
missile defense initiatives? We advised we would relay the
questions.


3. (c) Comment: We had discussed this matter with Daag's
subordinates 2/23. Sweden appears to be taking a hands-off
approach, declining to push back on Russia's threatening
remarks, while not criticizing either the possible deployment
nor the extent of consultations.
WOOD