Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STOCKHOLM615
2009-09-25 14:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:
"WE LOOK UNCOORDINATED": SWEDES "EMBARRASSED" BY
how-toVZCZCXRO4606 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHSM #0615 2681404 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 251404Z SEP 09 FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4754 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0337
C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000615
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV IR UN EUN SW
SUBJECT: "WE LOOK UNCOORDINATED": SWEDES "EMBARRASSED" BY
EU BEHAVIOR AT AHMADINEJAD SPEECH
REF: STOCKHOLM 600
Classified By: PolCouns Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000615
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV IR UN EUN SW
SUBJECT: "WE LOOK UNCOORDINATED": SWEDES "EMBARRASSED" BY
EU BEHAVIOR AT AHMADINEJAD SPEECH
REF: STOCKHOLM 600
Classified By: PolCouns Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).
1. (C) In a September 25 discussion with Poloff, Swedish Desk
Officer for Iran, Ulf Samuelsson, confirmed media reports
that Sweden, as EU President, did not/not walk out during
Iranian Pres. Ahmadinejad's UNGA speech on September 24. He
said the red lines agreed upon by the EU-27 -- the denial of
the Holocaust or of the right for Israel to exist -- were not
crossed in the speech. Nonetheless, some EU members walked
out, but the choice was an "individual decision" by those
states, Samuelsson said. Sweden is, in general,
uncomfortable with using walk-outs as a punitive tool in
UNGA. Samuelsson added that were Sweden to use the tool
"equally," it would have walked out on a number of leaders'
speeches at UNGA this year. Sweden would rather respond in
other ways to objectionable/heinous statements at UNGA.
2. (C) Separately, Andres Jato, chief of staff to MFA
Political Director Bjorn Lyrvall, told Pol Counselor the same
day that the lack of EU coordination was "embarrassing." EU
Member States were represented at the counselor level during
Ahmadenijad's speech, and Lyrvall was listening "outside with
headphones on," ready to give the "pre-arranged signal" for
all EU reps to walk out. He was "surprised" when he saw
first the Germans and then other EU delegations stream past
him without the agreed-upon redlines having been crossed.
"We look like we can't coordinate anything," Jato lamented.
BARZUN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV IR UN EUN SW
SUBJECT: "WE LOOK UNCOORDINATED": SWEDES "EMBARRASSED" BY
EU BEHAVIOR AT AHMADINEJAD SPEECH
REF: STOCKHOLM 600
Classified By: PolCouns Marc Koehler for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D).
1. (C) In a September 25 discussion with Poloff, Swedish Desk
Officer for Iran, Ulf Samuelsson, confirmed media reports
that Sweden, as EU President, did not/not walk out during
Iranian Pres. Ahmadinejad's UNGA speech on September 24. He
said the red lines agreed upon by the EU-27 -- the denial of
the Holocaust or of the right for Israel to exist -- were not
crossed in the speech. Nonetheless, some EU members walked
out, but the choice was an "individual decision" by those
states, Samuelsson said. Sweden is, in general,
uncomfortable with using walk-outs as a punitive tool in
UNGA. Samuelsson added that were Sweden to use the tool
"equally," it would have walked out on a number of leaders'
speeches at UNGA this year. Sweden would rather respond in
other ways to objectionable/heinous statements at UNGA.
2. (C) Separately, Andres Jato, chief of staff to MFA
Political Director Bjorn Lyrvall, told Pol Counselor the same
day that the lack of EU coordination was "embarrassing." EU
Member States were represented at the counselor level during
Ahmadenijad's speech, and Lyrvall was listening "outside with
headphones on," ready to give the "pre-arranged signal" for
all EU reps to walk out. He was "surprised" when he saw
first the Germans and then other EU delegations stream past
him without the agreed-upon redlines having been crossed.
"We look like we can't coordinate anything," Jato lamented.
BARZUN