Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08STOCKHOLM749
2008-11-07 17:19:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:
SAAKASHVILI-PM REINFELDT MEETING
how-toVZCZCXRO6026 PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSM #0749 3121719 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071719Z NOV 08 FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3875 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHSI/AMEMBASSY TBILISI PRIORITY 0144
C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000749
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG SW
SUBJECT: SAAKASHVILI-PM REINFELDT MEETING
REF: STOCKHOLM 739
Classified By: A/DCM Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).
(C) Georgian President Saakashvili met in Stockholm with
Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt on October 31 (reftel). On
November 6, Head of the MFA,s Eastern Europe Desk, Johan
Frisell, gave Poloffs an overview of the meeting, describing
Saakashvili's mental state as "calm and objective," which it
is "usually not." Otterstedt said Saakashvili's calmness
allowed for a substantive dialogue. Saakashvili also met
with the Parliament's standing Foreign Affairs Committee, the
top seven Swedish CEOs, and paid a courtesy call to the King.
The main points of the dialogue with Reinfeldt were:
Reforms
--------------
--Reinfeldt urged Saakashvili to continue political and
judicial reforms, a dialogue with the opposition, and support
for an independent media.
--Saakashvili said he is committed to reforms, but the
opposition is difficult to work with because it is weak and
does not want to cooperate. However, the opposition is
united with the government against Russia.
EU Cooperation
--------------
--Saakashvili said Georgia has a new vision for EU relations
and, inspired by Ukraine, wants an association agreement to
increase cooperation with the EU. He thanked Reinfeldt for
Sweden's part in the Eastern Partnership initiative.
--Reinfeldt urged Georgia to enter into a "deep trade"
agreement with the EU, replacing the basic tariff-free
movement of goods agreement. Saakashvili, who had earlier
not wanted such, expressed support for deep trade ties now.
(Frisell stated that the new trade regime would eliminate
tariffs on services, goods, and the movement of capital.)
Russia
--------------
--Reinfeldt said he was concerned Russia was not implementing
its commitments, but urged Georgia to keep calm if provoked
and use only peaceful means to resolve conflicts.
--Saakashvili said Russia has a "strategic policy" to
overthrow his government and undermine Georgia, and Moscow is
uninterested in the Geneva talks.
--He said Russia wants to keep its military in Abkhazia and
South Ossetia for the long term and will continue to provoke
Georgia. He expressed his gratitude for Foreign Minister
Bildt's leading role in support of Georgia.
Diplomatic Relations
--------------
--Frisell stated that Sweden has agreed to represent Georgian
interests in Moscow, but the details are still under
negotiation.
--The Georgians want to keep their "entire mission" in place
and just switch to the Swedish flag, he said, which would be
"too risky" given the large Georgian population of Russia and
"xenophobic tensions."
--As Sweden prepares for the EU Presidency, it needs to
preserve its "ability to work with Russia."
WOOD
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/07/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG SW
SUBJECT: SAAKASHVILI-PM REINFELDT MEETING
REF: STOCKHOLM 739
Classified By: A/DCM Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).
(C) Georgian President Saakashvili met in Stockholm with
Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt on October 31 (reftel). On
November 6, Head of the MFA,s Eastern Europe Desk, Johan
Frisell, gave Poloffs an overview of the meeting, describing
Saakashvili's mental state as "calm and objective," which it
is "usually not." Otterstedt said Saakashvili's calmness
allowed for a substantive dialogue. Saakashvili also met
with the Parliament's standing Foreign Affairs Committee, the
top seven Swedish CEOs, and paid a courtesy call to the King.
The main points of the dialogue with Reinfeldt were:
Reforms
--------------
--Reinfeldt urged Saakashvili to continue political and
judicial reforms, a dialogue with the opposition, and support
for an independent media.
--Saakashvili said he is committed to reforms, but the
opposition is difficult to work with because it is weak and
does not want to cooperate. However, the opposition is
united with the government against Russia.
EU Cooperation
--------------
--Saakashvili said Georgia has a new vision for EU relations
and, inspired by Ukraine, wants an association agreement to
increase cooperation with the EU. He thanked Reinfeldt for
Sweden's part in the Eastern Partnership initiative.
--Reinfeldt urged Georgia to enter into a "deep trade"
agreement with the EU, replacing the basic tariff-free
movement of goods agreement. Saakashvili, who had earlier
not wanted such, expressed support for deep trade ties now.
(Frisell stated that the new trade regime would eliminate
tariffs on services, goods, and the movement of capital.)
Russia
--------------
--Reinfeldt said he was concerned Russia was not implementing
its commitments, but urged Georgia to keep calm if provoked
and use only peaceful means to resolve conflicts.
--Saakashvili said Russia has a "strategic policy" to
overthrow his government and undermine Georgia, and Moscow is
uninterested in the Geneva talks.
--He said Russia wants to keep its military in Abkhazia and
South Ossetia for the long term and will continue to provoke
Georgia. He expressed his gratitude for Foreign Minister
Bildt's leading role in support of Georgia.
Diplomatic Relations
--------------
--Frisell stated that Sweden has agreed to represent Georgian
interests in Moscow, but the details are still under
negotiation.
--The Georgians want to keep their "entire mission" in place
and just switch to the Swedish flag, he said, which would be
"too risky" given the large Georgian population of Russia and
"xenophobic tensions."
--As Sweden prepares for the EU Presidency, it needs to
preserve its "ability to work with Russia."
WOOD