Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STOCKHOLM390
2008-05-29 06:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:
Media Reaction - Stockholm ICI Conference
how-toO 290611Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3470
UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000390
SIPDIS
SECSTATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PPD, EUR/NB, EUR/PA, EUR/FO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PINS PHUM PREF EUN SW
SUBJECT: Media Reaction - Stockholm ICI Conference
I. On May 29, the independent liberal Stockholm morning daily
"Dagens Nyheter" lead editorial, headlined "Iraq in Stockholm:"
said:
"Everyone does not share the view that what now happens in Stockholm
is important. Those who are critical believe that the U.S. has
violated international law and therefore should take on the
reconstruction burden. The U.S. certainly should do more, in
particular, to receive refugees. It is not fair that Europe is
shouldering a greater responsibility for people who are forced to
leave Iran than what the U.S. is doing.
"But to put the burden only on the U.S. is short-sighted policy. One
can take a dual position - that the invasion was wrong, and also
that the international community now has an important role to play
in the rebuilding efforts....
"This conference is not to discuss the invasion but rather to look
forward. This is also the only reasonable thing - the world has for
too long been harping on the same string, whether the U.S. was right
or wrong in attacking (Iraq). The wounds that were inflicted by the
Bush administration's presumptuous and arrogant approach have only
partially healed....
"However, the Iraqi debacle shows that the path forward must be a
multilateral one. The ICI conference is a demonstration, among other
things, that the U.S. at the end of the day may have to rely on a
UN, which the present U.S. President holds in contempt. Several
problems likely would have been much less severe if the world
organization had been taken seriously from the very beginning."
II. On May 29, the conservative Stockholm morning daily "Svenska
Dagbladet" in its lead editorial commented on the Social Democratic
opposition efforts to make political capital of the conference.
Under the headline "In Upplands Vasby (former Prime Minister Olof)
Palme's (rhetoric) does not fit in," "SvD" wrote:
"Today the international conference on Iraq begins. Sweden's role is
not to incite (opinion) against the U.S. for what happened in the
past, but rather to try to contribute to give the Iraqis their
future back....
"Although Iraq today has a weak democratic foundation to rely on, it
is still a 'failed state' which, despite improvements, neither can
guarantee people security nor basic welfare.
"It will take time (for the Iraqis) to succeed, which is not a
given. One certainly can have different opinions about what has
taken place, but it should be easy to unite over a willingness to
give the Iraqis their future back. It is a pity that the Social
Democrats instead choose to pick on the coalition government."
WOOD
SIPDIS
SECSTATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PPD, EUR/NB, EUR/PA, EUR/FO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PINS PHUM PREF EUN SW
SUBJECT: Media Reaction - Stockholm ICI Conference
I. On May 29, the independent liberal Stockholm morning daily
"Dagens Nyheter" lead editorial, headlined "Iraq in Stockholm:"
said:
"Everyone does not share the view that what now happens in Stockholm
is important. Those who are critical believe that the U.S. has
violated international law and therefore should take on the
reconstruction burden. The U.S. certainly should do more, in
particular, to receive refugees. It is not fair that Europe is
shouldering a greater responsibility for people who are forced to
leave Iran than what the U.S. is doing.
"But to put the burden only on the U.S. is short-sighted policy. One
can take a dual position - that the invasion was wrong, and also
that the international community now has an important role to play
in the rebuilding efforts....
"This conference is not to discuss the invasion but rather to look
forward. This is also the only reasonable thing - the world has for
too long been harping on the same string, whether the U.S. was right
or wrong in attacking (Iraq). The wounds that were inflicted by the
Bush administration's presumptuous and arrogant approach have only
partially healed....
"However, the Iraqi debacle shows that the path forward must be a
multilateral one. The ICI conference is a demonstration, among other
things, that the U.S. at the end of the day may have to rely on a
UN, which the present U.S. President holds in contempt. Several
problems likely would have been much less severe if the world
organization had been taken seriously from the very beginning."
II. On May 29, the conservative Stockholm morning daily "Svenska
Dagbladet" in its lead editorial commented on the Social Democratic
opposition efforts to make political capital of the conference.
Under the headline "In Upplands Vasby (former Prime Minister Olof)
Palme's (rhetoric) does not fit in," "SvD" wrote:
"Today the international conference on Iraq begins. Sweden's role is
not to incite (opinion) against the U.S. for what happened in the
past, but rather to try to contribute to give the Iraqis their
future back....
"Although Iraq today has a weak democratic foundation to rely on, it
is still a 'failed state' which, despite improvements, neither can
guarantee people security nor basic welfare.
"It will take time (for the Iraqis) to succeed, which is not a
given. One certainly can have different opinions about what has
taken place, but it should be easy to unite over a willingness to
give the Iraqis their future back. It is a pity that the Social
Democrats instead choose to pick on the coalition government."
WOOD