SWEDEN: JAN ELIASSON NAMED FOREIGN MINISTER

CONFIDENTIAL C O N F I D E N T I A L STOCKHOLM 000426 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2016 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SW SUBJECT: SWEDEN: JAN ELIASSON NAMED FOREIGN MINISTER REF: STOCKHOLM 393 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires a.i. Stephen V. Noble, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (u) Prime Minister Goran Persson named 3/27 former Ambassador to the U.S. and current President of the UNGA Jan Eliasson to be the new Foreign Minister. Eliasson replaces Bosse Ringholm, who was named March 21 as the "temporary" Foreign Minister, following the resignation of Laila Freivalds (reftel). Minister for Development and Cooperation Carin Jamtin, who had been seen as the odds-on favorite for the top MFA post, gained the additional title of Vice-Foreign Minister, and will be acting until Eliasson takes over April 24. Eliasson will continue to serve as UNGA President until his term ends in September. Beginning in May, Eliasson will spend an increasing amount of time in Stockholm. 2. (u) Eliasson brings substantial international experience to the position, having served as Ambassador to the U.S. from 2000-2005, and as the MFA's State Secretary for Foreign Affairs from 1994-2000. From 1988-1992 he was Sweden's Ambassador to the U.N. Eliasson, 65, is married to Kerstin Eliasson, who is Sweden's State Secretary for Education and Science. They have three grown children. A full bio has been emailed to EUR/NB. 3, (u) At the press conference following the announcement, Eliasson described relations between Sweden and the U.S. as good, noting that there had been some differences on matters such as Iraq. He said that the U.S. was the world's most powerful country, the "new Rome," and that it was important to have good bilateral relations. He noted that he had accompanied PM Persson for meetings with President Bush and with President Clinton. Comment ------- 4. (c) Eliasson is well-respected in Stockholm and among the MFA bureaucracy. The expectation is that he will provide a sense of a new direction and get the MFA past post-tsunami criticisms. At the press conference, Eliasson sounded eager to participate in the elections, and cited his long-standing (but loose) relationship with the Social Democrat party. As Foreign Minister during a campaign period, it is expected that Jan Eliasson, who is no political wall-flower, and whom the press sometimes call "Jag" ("I") Eliasson, will work to dispel the impression that the MFA is adrift. 5. (c) Eliasson is well-known at top levels in Washington. The MFA had asked us to hold, if possible, the 21 April meeting originally scheduled between Secretary Rice former Foreign Minister Freivalds for the new incumbent. It is not clear at this juncture how the Swedes will sort out that request, with Jamtin serving as acting Foreign Minister until April 24, and Eliasson in New York at the UNGA. (drafted POL:CChristensen) NOBLE