Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09STOCKHOLM751
2009-11-30 16:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Stockholm
Cable title:
SWEDISH PLAN FOR EU ADVISORY MILITARY MISSION TO
how-toVZCZCXRO3091 OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSL RUEHSR DE RUEHSM #0751 3341626 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301626Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4955 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0342
C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000751
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2019
TAGS: PREL MOPS EUN NATO BK SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH PLAN FOR EU ADVISORY MILITARY MISSION TO
BOSNIA BY APRIL, LIKELY CLOSURE OF EUFOR/ALTHEA BY NOVEMBER
C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000751
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2019
TAGS: PREL MOPS EUN NATO BK SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH PLAN FOR EU ADVISORY MILITARY MISSION TO
BOSNIA BY APRIL, LIKELY CLOSURE OF EUFOR/ALTHEA BY NOVEMBER
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3.
2. (C) On November 30, Carl Magnus Eriksson, Deputy Director
for the MFA International Security Policy Department, and
Brigadier General Lennart Bengtsson, MFA Military Advisor,
briefed Poloffs on Swedish plans for discussion of the EUFOR
Althea operation at the December 7-8 EU Foreign Affairs
Council (FAC) meeting. The Swedes have two priorities for
the FAC: 1) Get approval to launch a 200-person non-executive
EU military advisory force which, if approved, would be up
and running by April 2010; 2) Get approval for a decision to
continue the EUFOR Althea executive military presence until
November 2010. The Swedes also envision an April 2010 review
of the "fluid situation on the ground," at which point the EU
would also discuss how to position forces for the November
2010 elections. The April review would also examine how the
EU can maintain situational awareness in Bosnia, what
over-the-horizon forces should be considered, and what
international authorities (such as a new UN Security Council
resolution) might be possible. The purpose of this
initiative is to prepare the ground politically for the EU
follow-on mission to Althea in late 2010.
3. (C) Eriksson noted that the Swedes have worked tirelessly
to bridge the gap between EU Member States that wish to close
the EUFOR mission immediately and those that wish to continue
until OHR closure and constitutional reform is completed.
Eriksson felt this was the only possible package that had
Member State political support. He was confident that after
lengthy and intense negotiations with the British, the
Swedish proposal would be approved at the December FAC.
Eriksson asked what the U.S. reaction to this plan would be.
Action request: Post seeks guidance on this point.
4. C) Comment The Swedish plan for a non-executive advisory
force in place by April would allow them to portray a
continuing Althea mission as redundant by later in the year.
End Comment.
BARZUN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2019
TAGS: PREL MOPS EUN NATO BK SW
SUBJECT: SWEDISH PLAN FOR EU ADVISORY MILITARY MISSION TO
BOSNIA BY APRIL, LIKELY CLOSURE OF EUFOR/ALTHEA BY NOVEMBER
1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 3.
2. (C) On November 30, Carl Magnus Eriksson, Deputy Director
for the MFA International Security Policy Department, and
Brigadier General Lennart Bengtsson, MFA Military Advisor,
briefed Poloffs on Swedish plans for discussion of the EUFOR
Althea operation at the December 7-8 EU Foreign Affairs
Council (FAC) meeting. The Swedes have two priorities for
the FAC: 1) Get approval to launch a 200-person non-executive
EU military advisory force which, if approved, would be up
and running by April 2010; 2) Get approval for a decision to
continue the EUFOR Althea executive military presence until
November 2010. The Swedes also envision an April 2010 review
of the "fluid situation on the ground," at which point the EU
would also discuss how to position forces for the November
2010 elections. The April review would also examine how the
EU can maintain situational awareness in Bosnia, what
over-the-horizon forces should be considered, and what
international authorities (such as a new UN Security Council
resolution) might be possible. The purpose of this
initiative is to prepare the ground politically for the EU
follow-on mission to Althea in late 2010.
3. (C) Eriksson noted that the Swedes have worked tirelessly
to bridge the gap between EU Member States that wish to close
the EUFOR mission immediately and those that wish to continue
until OHR closure and constitutional reform is completed.
Eriksson felt this was the only possible package that had
Member State political support. He was confident that after
lengthy and intense negotiations with the British, the
Swedish proposal would be approved at the December FAC.
Eriksson asked what the U.S. reaction to this plan would be.
Action request: Post seeks guidance on this point.
4. C) Comment The Swedish plan for a non-executive advisory
force in place by April would allow them to portray a
continuing Althea mission as redundant by later in the year.
End Comment.
BARZUN