DEFENSE MINISTER DISCUSSES ISAF, KFOR WITH CDA

S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000066 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2019 TAGS: PMIL AF BK XZ ZB SW SUBJECT: DEFENSE MINISTER DISCUSSES ISAF, KFOR WITH CDA Classified By: CDA Robert Silverman for reasons 1.4 (B) & (D). ¶1. (S) On January 30, CDA, DAO and poloff met with Minister of Defense Sten Tolgfors. CDA thanked Sweden for its continued contributions to ISAF and KFOR and said the U.S. supports expansion of Sweden's international military operations. Tolgfors' points were: -- ISAF: Tolgfors said possible areas for increased Swedish support in Afghanistan include C-130s and OMLTs. The three medevac helos already committed are delayed not for political reasons, but for technical reasons. -- Afghanistan Northern Transportation Routes: Tolgfors expressed interest in any plans the U.S. has to expand transportation/convoy routes in northern Afghanistan, based on press reports of U.S. discussions with Russia and Central Asia countries. Tolgfors is concerned about the potential security impact such would have on Sweden's PRT in Mazar-e-Sharif. -- Nordic Defense Cooperation: Tolgfors repeatedly stressed the importance of NDC and the potential it has to enhance interoperability and capacity. He said NDC is "key for us in the future" but it still must be developed fully. He looked forward to EUCOM support. -- AESA: When Tolgfors asked about the status of the radar, CDA said the Department of Defense has given a green light to develop an export version, though approval would depend on the proposal developed by industry. Now industry must decide if and how to proceed. -- KFOR: There is a domestic political division over KFOR. Tolgfors said the opposition Social Democrats wanted Sweden to pull out its troops on January 1, 2009, but the governing Alliance successfully pushed to prolong the deployment. Tolgfors said more EU military and civil assistance is needed in Kosovo, especially economic development to integrate with the EU. -- C-17 and A-400: The C-17 sharing agreement is a "breakthrough in Sweden's cooperation with NATO" and the structure should be applied to other fields of cooperation, Tolgfors stated. Joint European military capacity-building is important. He said many other Europeans are looking at the A-400 for future use, as it would facilitate European cooperation and increase tactical air lift capacity, an increasingly important issue. -- Baltic Air Policing: Tolgfors said the Czechs are using the Gripen in their policing operations. Asked whether Sweden might participate in the future, Tolgfors said Sweden has "political problems" policing in the Baltic. -- ESDP: Tolgfors said, "As the French EU presidency placed importance on expanding European military capacity, so will the Swedish presidency." ¶2. (C) Comment: Tolgfors hinted that improving military capability is a principal goal in Sweden's international cooperation, but we note that unfortunately it is sometimes overshadowed by arguments over which national military industry should get a contract. SILVERMAN