U.S. EU SUMMIT CONTINUES TO RECEIVE MAJOR MEDIA ATTENTION

UNCLAS STOCKHOLM 000688

SIPDIS

SECSTATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PPD, EUR/NB
BRUSSELS FOR REGIONAL MEDIA HUB

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PINR SW XA
SUBJECT: U.S. EU SUMMIT CONTINUES TO RECEIVE MAJOR MEDIA ATTENTION


1. (U) SUMMARY: All major Swedish news outlets covered the U.S.-EU
summit on November 3, focusing on the U.S.-EU search for common
ground on climate. Outlets conveyed cautions from both sides that
there should be no expectation of a binding international climate
agreement in Copenhagen. Media featured PM Reinfeldt's expression
of disappointment that there was no breakthrough on climate, and his
call for more political will from Obama and the Congress to put
forward an American position that can lead to an agreement that
meets the two-degree Celsius limit, even if it is not perfect.
Media reported positively on the creation of a U.S.-EU Energy
Council. Media also covered Reinfeldt's points that Europe has
35,000 troops and is investing one billion Euros in Afghanistan in
rebuttal to critiques from U.S. commentators. END SUMMARY

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BROADCAST MEDIA
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2. (U) The U.S-EU summit was a leading story in all national
broadcast media, the public service channel Swedish Television
(SVT),the national commercial channel TV4 and the nation-wide
public service Swedish Radio (SR) the evening of November 3 and the
morning of November 4. Reports focused on downplaying expectations
ahead of the Copenhagen climate talks. SVT quoted Prime Minister
Reinfeldt as saying that "too little is being done in the United
States but there is more force and willingness than is sometimes
reflected in the European and Swedish debate." SVT's report
continued with Reinfeldt expressing more "clarity around what the
Senate process looks like and the efforts being made to unite sixty
senators to pass the proposed bill they need to reduce emissions."
Finally, SVT reiterated Reinfeldt's statement that an agreement
missing details is more important than a perfected climate agreement
in December. TV4 re-broadcast the press conference as a whole and
SR reported that Reinfeldt was slightly disappointed, but also spoke
about not giving up on joint efforts for an agreement. SR noted the
establishment of the U.S. - EU Energy Council.

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PRINT MEDIA
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3. (U) Swedish morning daily Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) quoted Prime
Minister Reinfeldt on three core issues: climate, Afghanistan and
transatlantic relations. SvD relayed more of Reinfeldt's
disappointment, quoting him saying that the joint communiqu "...is
not [what] we want to see in Copenhagen," and "If we are to achieve
a global agreement that meets the two-percent goal, that includes a
global financing portion, then we must find each other in this
process." SvD continued with Reinfeldt noting that "In the American
media, Obama is described as Europe's dream president and then they
act a little surprised: 'Why then does Europe not do all that the
United States believes it should do?' At the same time there is a
view in Europe where people seem to sit and wonder why Obama does
not do what we think he should do." SvD also ran Reinfeldt's
comments on Afghanistan: "...I pointed out that we now have 35,000
people in Afghanistan, and that is the largest commitment from
Europe since WWII," and that the EU has committed one billion Euros
to development aid.

SILVERMAN