POST SUPPORT OF POTUS BILATERAL WITH SWEDISH PM

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000368 NSC FOR KVIEN EEB FOR DAVID NELSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2018 TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON EUN IT SW SUBJECT: POST SUPPORT OF POTUS BILATERAL WITH SWEDISH PM REINFELDT AT G8 REF: KOEHLER-GILCHRIST EMAIL OF 06/17/09 Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D). ¶1. (U) On June 16, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally requested a bilateral meeting for Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt with the President on the margins of the G8 in Italy on 8-10 July. (We understand the Swedish embassy in Washington passed this request to NSC also.) ¶2. (C) Embassy strongly supports this request. It would provide an excellent opportunity to focus Swedish attention at the beginning of its EU Presidency on key U.S. priorities relating to Afghanistan and Guantanamo detainees, as well as to coordinate with the Swedes on their top priority of climate change. ¶3. (U) Sweden's articulated priorities for its six-month EU Presidency are focused on two global issues, climate change and the financial crisis, and four issues critical to the EU: enlargement (including Turkey),visa and asylum harmonization ("the Stockholm Program"),regional trade and environmental concerns in the Baltic region ("the Baltic Sea Strategy"), and fostering economic liberalization and democratic development in six key Eastern European nations ("the Eastern Partnership"). The French and Czech presidencies demonstrated that the best of plans can be uprooted, so the Swedes are down-playing expectations, preparing as best they can for unexpected events. ¶4. (U) UN Climate Change Conference: PM Reinfeldt's top priority involves using the EU Presidency to lead the EU to sign a binding international agreement at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to be held in Copenhagen in December. Sweden wants higher U.S. midterm targets as part of an EU strategy of getting China to commit to binding targets. But Sweden also sees itself as more attuned to U.S. domestic realities than other EU members. Reinfeldt's staff believe the Prime Minister would like to play a bridging role between the United States and the EU on climate, and would make this issue his focus for the bilateral. ¶5. (C) Guantanamo: We have asked Sweden multiple times in recent years to accept Guantanamo detainees for resettlement. The Minister of Migration recently told us that Sweden now strongly approves of the "general approach" the U.S. Administration has taken on detainees, and that if Sweden can assist, it would like to do so. For Sweden to consider accepting former detainees, there must be a "quality branding" for individual asylum seekers achieved by using UNHCR. Following recent developments within the EU and the May 29 UNHCR letter to Special Envoy Fried, we think discussion of this issue at the highest level could prompt the Swedes to help build momentum within the EU by announcing that they will accept two or more detainees for resettlement. Moreover, Sweden should be urged to take a lead in coordinating EU efforts to help obtain assurances from other third countries that any detainees sent there will be well-treated. ¶6. (C) Afghanistan/Pakistan: Sweden has 410 troops based in four northern provinces, and another 90 will be deployed by the end of the year. A C-130 at ISAF HQ's disposal will be available during the elections in the fall. Recent security incidents in and around the Swedish PRT in Mazar-e Sharif have increased Swedish determination to enhance security in the region during the election season, but under current budgetary and legislative conditions we do not expect Sweden to deploy forces beyond the 500 already assigned in this calendar year. On the civilian side, however, Sweden can -- and should -- do more by deploying additional police trainers to EUPOL as part of its effort to spur a stronger response from other EU Member States. Building upon the June 17 EU-Pakistan Summit, the Swedes should also energize the EU to maximize the potential levers of soft power and emergency humanitarian assistance for Pakistan. SILVERMAN