Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07STOCKHOLM998
2007-08-17 15:03:00
SECRET
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:  

SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER BILDT'S FIVE DAYS IN

Tags:  PREL OVIP ASEC PGOV SW IZ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0016
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSM #0998/01 2291503
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 171503Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0056
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2536
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000998 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

BAGHDAD FOR POL JHOGAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2017
TAGS: PREL OVIP ASEC PGOV SW IZ
SUBJECT: SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER BILDT'S FIVE DAYS IN
IRAQ, SEPTEMBER 1-5

REF: A. STOCKHOLM 959

B. STOCKHOLM 990

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

Summary and Comment
-------------------
S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000998

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

BAGHDAD FOR POL JHOGAN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2017
TAGS: PREL OVIP ASEC PGOV SW IZ
SUBJECT: SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER BILDT'S FIVE DAYS IN
IRAQ, SEPTEMBER 1-5

REF: A. STOCKHOLM 959

B. STOCKHOLM 990

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

Summary and Comment
--------------

1. (s) Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt will visit
Baghdad and Irbil September 1-5. In Baghdad Sept. 1-2, he
plans meetings with PM Maliki, President Talibani, FM Zebari,
UN rep Ghazi, and is requesting a September 2 breakfast
meeting with Ambassador Crocker (see proposed schedule below
at para 3). Sweden has requested U.S. assistance with
security and transportation with this aspect of the trip.
For the September 3-5 visit to Irbil, the Swedes have
requested no support and no help with security -- a position
we understand may not be warranted by the situation on the
ground. The visit to Iraq will not be announced until Bildt
is in Iraq. POC in Stockholm is Polcouns Casey Christensen
and, for coordination of security and movements, RSO Dan
Mahanty, who will follow up in DS channels. Action Request at
para 8.


2. (s) We believe Swedish FM Carl Bildts' Sept. 1-5 trip to
Iraq provides an opportunity to positively influence Europe's
perspective on Iraq. Bildt said July 15 in leading daily
paper Svenska Dagbladet "When all is said and done, I believe
that things would have been worse in Iraq today had Saddam
been in power." MFA Director for the Middle East and North
Africa Peter Tejler, who is arranging the trip for Bildt,
told polcouns August 17 that he hoped the visit to Iraq would
help prepare the way for a more coherent EU policy and get
Europe more involved in Iraq. We urge strong support for the
trip. End Summary and Comment.

Bildt's Schedule and Requests
--------------

3. (s) Bildt will be traveling with a party totaling seven:
Bildt, Amb. Treuve (Sweden's Amb. to Iraq resident in Amman),
Bildt's press secretary, two political advisers, and two
security officers. Bildt's tentative schedule follows:

Aug 31

Depart Stockholm on commercial air to Amman, Jordan.
Overnight at Grand Hyatt.


Sept. 1: Baghdad

1200 Depart for Amman airport
1400 Depart via Royal Jordanian for Baghdad
1630 Arrive Baghdad airport
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: transport from airport to Office
of Iraqi Prime Minister
1830 depart Iraqi Prime Minister's office
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: transport to Iraqi Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
1900 Meet with Iraqi Foreign Minister
2000 Dinner with Iraqi Foreign Minister at MFA
2130 Depart Iraqi MFA
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: transport to location TBD for
overnight stay. Assistance with overnight accommodations
(not at U.S. Embassy).

Sept. 2: Baghdad

0800 Breakfast with Ambassador Crocker (proposed)
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: please confirm
0900 Depart to Presidential Palace.
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: transport to Presidential Palace
0930 Meet with Iraqi President
1015 Depart meeting with Iraqi President.
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: transport from Presidential Palace
to location TBD for meeting with Iraqi Vice-President.
1030 Meeting with Iraqi Vice-President.
1130 Depart meeting with Iraqi Vice-President
-- U.S, ACTION REQUESTED: transport from TBD location to TBD
location
1200 Lunch with UNSRSG (Ghazi)
1330 Depart lunch
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: transport to location TBD
1400 Press Conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister
1500 End press conference
-- U.S. ACTION REQUESTED: transport to airport
1730 Depart for Amman on Royal Jordanian. RON in Amman.

Sept 3-5: Irbil,
a Major Source of Immigrants
--------------


4. (s) Bildt plans to travel Sept. 3 from Amman to Irbil,
where he and a larger Swedish group than participated in the
Baghdad portion of the trip will spend two nights, returning
to Amman Sept. 5. The Swedes, based on advice from Amb.
Treuve, who has traveled there several times, have determined
they do not need help with security in Irbil. Comment: If
they are wrong about security conditions in Irbil, we should
inform them and offer assistance.


5. (c) The visit in the North will include discussions on
migration. Sweden is the largest European recipient of
immigrants from Iraq. Estimates range from 70,000 (Swedish
Migration Board) to 120,000 (Red Cross) Iraqis in Sweden, the
majority of whom are Kurds. In 2006, Sweden received 7,000
Iraqi refugees; over half of all Iraqis who ended up in EU
countries chose Sweden as their destination. In 2007, Sweden
is on track to take in 20,000 Iraqis. These figures will
increase in coming years as Sweden's generous family
reunification programs add to the intake of Iraqis.


6. (s) Tejler told us Sweden will not be endorsing an
independent Kurdistan. It will also not see the possibility
at this time for forced returns of Iraqis. Tejler said
Sweden funds several NGOs working in the Kurdish area. He
added that Sweden emphasizes support for and tolerance of
minorities.

Sweden's Agenda
--------------

7. (s) Tejler noted that Sweden had earlier called for the
creation of the position of EU Special Representative on
Iraq. Following on this visit, it may renew that call.
Europe, he said, has been split on Iraq, but 2007 is not
2003, and it is time for the EU to focus on and become
involved in Iraq. Sweden does not see now the security
conditions that would allow reconstruction efforts to be
successful. It will instead concentrate on supporting the
governmental process, including the establishment of a
credible central government, as well as the process of
reconciliation and enhancing the role of civil society.
Tejler noted that Sweden will not be seeking meetings with
U.S. or Iraqi military, and requests that their own security
support during this visit have as little military imprint as
possible.

Action Request
--------------

8. (s) Embassy Stockholm recommends both a September 2
breakfast and a pre-trip DVC with Amb. Crocker. Bildt
maintains a widely read internet blog, and we can anticipate
that he will begin blogging as soon as he reaches Iraq. He
is hoping for a briefing and a meeting with Amb. Crocker,
which would be most helpful in providing him perspective.
SILVERMAN