SWEDEN: CI/KR RESPONSE FOR S/CT

S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000194 SIPDIS S/CT SHARRI R. CLARK E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2019 TAGS: PTER PGOV ASEC EFIN ENRG KCIP SW SUBJECT: SWEDEN: CI/KR RESPONSE FOR S/CT REF: SECSTATE 15113 Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons: 1/4 (B),(D),(E), and (G) ¶1. (S) In response to reftel, post would like to add Sweden's communications infrastructure to the CI/KR list. Although Sweden does not posses a direct undersea cable from the U.S., Sweden is a central European communications hub. For example, Swedish company TeliaSonera is an international carrier that owns and manages 43,000 km of fiber optic cable linking Russia and the Baltics to the rest of Europe and the U.S. If these lines of communications were to be destroyed, disrupted, or exploited, it may compromise global communications. ¶2. (S) Post recommends keeping Swedish pharmaceutical manufacturing company Recip AB on the CI/KR list for its production of ThyroSafe (potassium iodide). This resource provides protection in the aftermath of a nuclear emergency. ThyroSafe is the only FDA approved 65 mg potassium iodide tablet used to protect the thyroid gland against radioactive iodine released during a nuclear emergency. SILVERMAN