Cablegate: Swedish Foreign Minister Confirms Iraq Trip September 1-2 That Will Not Be Publicized Ahead of Time

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OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHFL RUEHIHL RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV
DE RUEHSM #0990 2261509
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 141509Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM
TO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0055
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2530
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000990

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV SW IZ
SUBJECT: SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER CONFIRMS IRAQ TRIP SEPTEMBER 1-2 THAT WILL NOT BE PUBLICIZED AHEAD OF TIME

REF: STOCKHOLM 959

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Robert Silverman, reason 1.4 (b) and ( d).

1. (s) Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt has confirmed that he will travel to Iraq September 1-2. MFA Director for the Middle East and North Africa Peter Tejler told Polcouns that the decision was taken at an August 14 interagency meeting confirming the trip (reftel). The Swedes are holding the information about the visit very closely and will announce it only after Bildt arrives in Baghdad. Tejler noted that the Swedish Embassy in Washington has not yet been informed of the visit. We understand Bildt also plans to visit Irbil.

2. (s) A Bildt visit represents a positive change in Sweden's attitudes toward Iraq. During an August 14 meeting with MFA PolDir Skoog, Charge offered our help. The GoS has requested our assistance with security for Bildt, may also seek our help on logistics, and will consult on diplomatic/political aspects of the visit.

Action Request
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2. (s) Stockholm POC for Bildt's visit to Iraq is Polcouns Casey Christensen. We have been promised additional details on the trip by August 17. The Swedish Security Police (SAPO) are working directly through other channels on security matters. Action request: please designate a POC in Embassy Baghdad.
SILVERMAN

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