SWEDEN TO CLOSE FIVE MISSIONS IN 2009

C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000456 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/23/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV SW SUBJECT: SWEDEN TO CLOSE FIVE MISSIONS IN 2009 Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On July 23, the MFA officially announced the results of a controversy that has been brewing for some time: the closure of five of its missions abroad in 2009. This includes the consulates in New York and Los Angeles. MFA State Secretary Belfrage told CDA on June 30 that the closures and staff reduction are necessary to meet new budgetary constraints. The missions and expected dates of closure are: -- Consulate-General Los Angeles, no later than December 31, 2009; -- Consulate-General New York, no later than January 31, 2010; -- Embassy Colombo, no later than March 31, 2010; -- Consulate-General Kaliningrad, no later than October 31, 2009; -- Consulate-General Canton (Guangzhou),no later than November 30, 2009. ¶2. (U) Responsibility for Swedish relations with southern China and consular activities will be transferred to the Embassy in Beijing. Sweden is looking to open honorary consulates in Colombo, Los Angeles, and New York. The 26 honorary consulates that currently report to Los Angeles and New York will now report to the Embassy in Washington, however Sweden is exploring options to have a Schengen-member take over visa functions. FM Bildt has been heavily criticized in Swedish press for the two closures in the U.S. ¶3. (C) Comment: The closures are motivated by budgetary reasons; the MFA has a USD 8 million deficit. In addition, some observers in Sweden believe the specific cuts are driven partly by FM Bildt's personal feelings--especially the move to close down the embassy in Sri Lanka. Bildt was denied an official visa to Colombo last May, and he expressed his frustration in his blog. Moreover, consulates are a luxury in Bildt's view. The CDA overheard Bildt once say that the consulate in Los Angeles was not helpful to him during his many trips to Southern California. SILVERMAN