Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STOCKHOLM172
2009-03-12 17:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:
SWEDEN ON SYRIA: EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT "FAR
how-toVZCZCXRO7908 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSM #0172 0711733 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121733Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4209 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000172
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2019
TAGS: PREL EU SY SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN ON SYRIA: EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT "FAR
FROM CERTAIN"
REF: A. 3/6/09 GIAUQUE EMAIL ON "MATERIAL FOR THE MARCH
GAERC AND GYMNICH MEETINGS"
B. STATE 20919
Classified By: POL Counselor Marc Koehler, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000172
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2019
TAGS: PREL EU SY SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN ON SYRIA: EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT "FAR
FROM CERTAIN"
REF: A. 3/6/09 GIAUQUE EMAIL ON "MATERIAL FOR THE MARCH
GAERC AND GYMNICH MEETINGS"
B. STATE 20919
Classified By: POL Counselor Marc Koehler, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On March 12, Pol Counselor delivered reftel demarches
to Dag Juhlin-Dannfelt, who was recently promoted to deputy
of the MFA Middle East and North Africa Department. Dannfelt
said the EU Association Agreement is a "long term" project
and it is "far from certain" that consensus exists within the
EU for placing the agreement on the agenda anytime soon.
Working Groups are currently discussing the agreement and the
Commission is proceeding with a technical review. If all
were to proceed without hitch, then a decision point could
come later this year when Sweden holds the EU Presidency, he
said, though he doubts the Commission will move that fast.
In any case, while the Swedish MFA has not finalized its
position yet, it is leaning toward more engagement with Syria
-- "not as aggressively as France" -- but some sort of
contact that would be "better than isolation."
"Rapprochement" would allow the EU to raise different issues,
such as human rights, he added.
2. (C) Dannfelt said Sweden is concerned about Syria's lack
of cooperation with the IAEA but questioned whether Damascus
really had been intent on pursuing a nuclear capability. Pol
Counselor replied that the best way to determine the facts
would be to push Syria to cooperate fully with the IAEA.
Dannfelt said that Sweden does want "all the facts sorted
out" and supported the IAEA's efforts. He said this and
other issues would need to be fully discussed before the EU
would consider closer ties with Syria. Dannfelt said Sweden
already pushes Syria on the other points in Ref B, including
Syrian support for extremists and the importance of it
fulfilling its obligations to Lebanon. "I cannot see us
signing the Association Agreement when a caseload of critical
issues is outstanding," he concluded.
SILVERMAN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/12/2019
TAGS: PREL EU SY SW
SUBJECT: SWEDEN ON SYRIA: EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT "FAR
FROM CERTAIN"
REF: A. 3/6/09 GIAUQUE EMAIL ON "MATERIAL FOR THE MARCH
GAERC AND GYMNICH MEETINGS"
B. STATE 20919
Classified By: POL Counselor Marc Koehler, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) On March 12, Pol Counselor delivered reftel demarches
to Dag Juhlin-Dannfelt, who was recently promoted to deputy
of the MFA Middle East and North Africa Department. Dannfelt
said the EU Association Agreement is a "long term" project
and it is "far from certain" that consensus exists within the
EU for placing the agreement on the agenda anytime soon.
Working Groups are currently discussing the agreement and the
Commission is proceeding with a technical review. If all
were to proceed without hitch, then a decision point could
come later this year when Sweden holds the EU Presidency, he
said, though he doubts the Commission will move that fast.
In any case, while the Swedish MFA has not finalized its
position yet, it is leaning toward more engagement with Syria
-- "not as aggressively as France" -- but some sort of
contact that would be "better than isolation."
"Rapprochement" would allow the EU to raise different issues,
such as human rights, he added.
2. (C) Dannfelt said Sweden is concerned about Syria's lack
of cooperation with the IAEA but questioned whether Damascus
really had been intent on pursuing a nuclear capability. Pol
Counselor replied that the best way to determine the facts
would be to push Syria to cooperate fully with the IAEA.
Dannfelt said that Sweden does want "all the facts sorted
out" and supported the IAEA's efforts. He said this and
other issues would need to be fully discussed before the EU
would consider closer ties with Syria. Dannfelt said Sweden
already pushes Syria on the other points in Ref B, including
Syrian support for extremists and the importance of it
fulfilling its obligations to Lebanon. "I cannot see us
signing the Association Agreement when a caseload of critical
issues is outstanding," he concluded.
SILVERMAN