DEMARCHE DELIVERED REGARDING UN DESIGNATION OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000306 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EEB/ESC/TFS (LRECHT) E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/19/2019 TAGS: EFIN KTFN ETTC PTER PHUM EAID CH SW SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED REGARDING UN DESIGNATION OF ABDUL HAQ TO RELUCTANT SWEDES REF: STATE 48524 Classified By: Political Counselor Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) On May 15, Emboff shared reftel points with Anette Nilsson, Deputy Director, and Sofie Hillbom, Desk Officer, Security Policy Department, at the Swedish MFA. Nilsson commented that Sweden had declined to co-sponsor the designation of Abdul Haq when asked by the U.S. in April. Nilsson said she would review this information with her colleagues. ¶2. (C) At a lunch with Swedish Deputy EU-correspondent Jonas Wendel on May 15, Wendel told Emboffs that Sweden, during its EU Presidency, intended to raise the issue of establishing an independent advisory body to review UNSC 1267 listings, push for a better delisting process and push once again to get al-Barakaat delisted. ¶3. (C) Comment: For the first time, our Swedish interlocutors seemed very unreceptive to this demarche, clearly reluctant to discuss the issue. Sweden has long been a vocal critic of the entire 1267 listing and delisting process, and we expect them to work hard to alter it during their EU Presidency. SILVERMAN