Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BEIJING1711
2009-06-23 13:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Beijing
Cable title:
SWEDISH DIPLOMAT DECLARED PNG IN POSSIBLE
how-toVZCZCXRO6804 OO RUEHAG RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVC DE RUEHBJ #1711 1741324 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 231324Z JUN 09 FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4738 INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 001711
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON KIRF SW CH
SUBJECT: SWEDISH DIPLOMAT DECLARED PNG IN POSSIBLE
QUID-PRO-QUO OVER UIGHUR SPYING CASE
REF: OSC EUP20090622082010 PARIS AFP
Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Ben Moeling, Reasons
1.4 (B/D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 001711
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON KIRF SW CH
SUBJECT: SWEDISH DIPLOMAT DECLARED PNG IN POSSIBLE
QUID-PRO-QUO OVER UIGHUR SPYING CASE
REF: OSC EUP20090622082010 PARIS AFP
Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Ben Moeling, Reasons
1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) Helena Reitberger, First Secretary at the Swedish
Embassy in Beijing, told POLOFF June 23 that she had been
declared persona non grata (PNG) by the Chinese government
and was required to depart China no later than June 30. She
said she had been called in by the MFA and informed of the
decision but that the MFA had provided no reason for the PNG
order beyond the unspecific charge that she had "done
something not in line with diplomatic actions." She stated
the MFA told her unofficially in a pull-aside after the
meeting that she had done nothing not in line with her
diplomatic status and that the decision was related to
factors unrelated to her work. She was given no indication
of whether her ouster was permanent or only for a certain
period. She added that she was particularly surprised at the
timing of the action, with Sweden taking up the EU Presidency
on July 1.
2. (C) Thomas Cruse, First Secretary at the Embassy of
Denmark in Beijing, told POLOFF separately that the incident
was clearly linked to a recent Swedish decision to declare a
Chinese diplomat in Stockholm PNG for that diplomat's
involvement in monitoring the activities of ethnic Uighur
immigrants to Sweden, as was speculated in the western press
(ref). He said that Reitberger was probably chosen as the
only diplomat at the Swedish Embassy who matched the
now-expelled Chinese diplomat in gender and rank, although he
speculated that Reitberger's work on human rights issues in
the Swedish Embassy's political section may have contributed
to the decision.
PICCUTA
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2029
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ECON KIRF SW CH
SUBJECT: SWEDISH DIPLOMAT DECLARED PNG IN POSSIBLE
QUID-PRO-QUO OVER UIGHUR SPYING CASE
REF: OSC EUP20090622082010 PARIS AFP
Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Ben Moeling, Reasons
1.4 (B/D).
1. (C) Helena Reitberger, First Secretary at the Swedish
Embassy in Beijing, told POLOFF June 23 that she had been
declared persona non grata (PNG) by the Chinese government
and was required to depart China no later than June 30. She
said she had been called in by the MFA and informed of the
decision but that the MFA had provided no reason for the PNG
order beyond the unspecific charge that she had "done
something not in line with diplomatic actions." She stated
the MFA told her unofficially in a pull-aside after the
meeting that she had done nothing not in line with her
diplomatic status and that the decision was related to
factors unrelated to her work. She was given no indication
of whether her ouster was permanent or only for a certain
period. She added that she was particularly surprised at the
timing of the action, with Sweden taking up the EU Presidency
on July 1.
2. (C) Thomas Cruse, First Secretary at the Embassy of
Denmark in Beijing, told POLOFF separately that the incident
was clearly linked to a recent Swedish decision to declare a
Chinese diplomat in Stockholm PNG for that diplomat's
involvement in monitoring the activities of ethnic Uighur
immigrants to Sweden, as was speculated in the western press
(ref). He said that Reitberger was probably chosen as the
only diplomat at the Swedish Embassy who matched the
now-expelled Chinese diplomat in gender and rank, although he
speculated that Reitberger's work on human rights issues in
the Swedish Embassy's political section may have contributed
to the decision.
PICCUTA