Press releases from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs 1 January 2002

1084 Pages·2006·1.88 MB·English

December 2006

Press releases 2002–2006

This document contains the collected Ministry for Foreign Affairs press
releases from the period 1 January 2002–6 October 2006. These press
releases have previously been published on www.regeringen.se and were
removed from the website on 6 October 2006 when a new Government
took office.

The contact information in the press releases has largely been deleted
since press secretaries and other staff have been replaced.

Links contained in the press releases have been deleted.

The press releases in the document have been sorted by date, starting
with the most recent.

In total, there are 1 414 press releases from this period.
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2

In 2002–2006 the following ministers, ministries and subjects were
referred to on www.regeringen.se:
Ministers
Göran Persson, Ann-Christin Nykvist, Barbro Holmberg, Berit Andnor,
Bosse Ringholm, Carin Jämtin, Hans Karlsson, Ibrahim Baylan, Jan
Eliasson, Jens Orback, Leif Pagrotsky, Lena Hallengren, Lena
Sommestad, Leni Björklund, Mona Sahlin, Morgan Johansson, Pär
Nuder, Sven-Erik Österberg, Thomas Bodström, Thomas Östros, Ulrica
Messing, Ylva Johansson, Laila Freivalds, Gunnar Lund, Lars-Erik
Lövdén, Lars Engqvist, Marita Ulvskog, Anna Lindh, Margareta Winberg
and Jan O Karlsson.
Ministries
The Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry for
Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health and
Social Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education,
Research and Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer
Affairs, the Ministry of Sustainable Development, the Ministry of
Industry, Employment and Communications, the Ministry of Education
and Science, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of the Environment
and The Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union.
Subjects
Agriculture, forestry, fisheries
Asylum, migration, integration, minorities
Central, regional and local government
Communications, IT
Culture, the media, leisure activities
Defence, emergency management and safety
Democracy and human rights
Education and research
Employment and gender equality
Environment, energy and housing
EU
Foreign policy and international cooperation
Health care, health, social issues/insurance
Industry, trade, regional development
Legislation and justice
National economy and budget
Sustainable development
PRESSRELEASE
2006-10-03
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Government Bill on Swedish participation in UN mission in
Lebanon
The Government has presented a Bill to the Riksdag proposing Swedish
participation in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for six
months. Sweden intends to send one corvette to the UNIFIL naval component.
Themissionisbeingcarriedoutwithinthe frameworkofSecurityCouncilresolution1701,which
emphasisestheimportanceoftheLebanese governmentrestoringsovereigntyoverthewholeofits
territory.TheResolutionestablishesthatareinforcedUNIFIListosupportLebanon'sgovernment
in securingthecountry'sbordersandpreventingthe importofweaponsorthelikethathavenot
beenapprovedbythegovernment.
"BycontributingtoUNIFIL,Swedensendsa clear messageaboutitsstrongsupportoftheUNand
multilateralsolutions.ItdemonstratesstrongSwedish commitmenttoLebanon'sunityand
sovereignty," saysMinisterforForeignAffairsJanEliasson.
SwedenhascontributedSEK84.2milliontohumanitarianmeasuresinLebanonandisoneofthe
largestdonorsintheEUasregardsboththe UNappealandthetotalamountofhumanitarianaid.
Swedishinitiativesarenowbeingimplementedandplannedfortheearlyreconstructionof
Lebanon.
Swedenhasalsohelpedto increasethetotalamountofinternationalsupporttothereconstructionof
LebanonbymeansoftheconferencethatwasheldinStockholmon31August.
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
KerstinOlsson
MagnusLenefors
DeputyDirector
DepartmentforGlobalSecurity
[phone]
[phone]
Keyword:70156SustainabledevelopmentDefence,emergencymanagementandsafetyForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationJanEliasson
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-25
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
State Visit to Canada
TIMEANDPLACE
Applicationsforaccreditationscloseon10October!
TheirMajestiesKingCarlXVIGustafandQueenSilviawillbepayingaStateVisittoCanadaon
24-27October 2006attheinvitationofTheRightHonourableMichaëlleJean,GovernorGeneralof
Canada.
TheSwedishgovernmentwillberepresentedonthevisit.
AdelegationofSwedishbusinessrepresentativeswillalsobevisitingCanadaatthesametime.
TheprogrammeincludesvisitstoOttawa,Montreal,TorontoandQuebecCity.TheKingand
QueenwillmeetthePrimeMinisterofCanadaandrepresentativesoftheprovincialgovernmentsof
OntarioandQuebec.
Theprogrammealsoincludes:
• theopeningofasilverexhibitioninOttawa
• companyvisitsinMontreal
• roundtablediscussionsonviolenceagainstwomen
• anenvironmentalconferencewithSwedishparticipationinToronto
• InternationalFestivalofAuthors,IFOA,witha specialfocusonSwedishchildren'sliterature,
Toronto
• aPolar researchmeetinginQuebecCity.
Totheeditorialoffice:
SwedishjournalistsneedspecialaccreditationtocovertheStateVisit.
Moreinformationonaccreditationandother practicalissuesconcerningtheStateVisitisavailable
at: www.regeringen.se/press(inSwedish).
Pleasenote: Applicationsforaccreditationcloseon10 October.
CONTACT
MarieHadd
DeputyDirector,PressService
Office08-405 5847
Mobile[phone]
HåkanMalmqvist
DeputyDirector-General
AmericasDepartment
[phone]
[email protected]
Keyword:69855ForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationJanEliasson
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-21
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
New Ambassador in Southern Caucasus
TheGovernmenthasappointedMinisterHansGunnarAdénasAmbassadorinArmenia,
AzerbaijanandGeorgia.
MrAdén'spreviouspostingsincludeSweden'sembassiesinParisandKiev,andtheSwedish
Consulate-GeneralinStPetersburg.HehasalsoworkedattheOECDSecretariatinParis.
MrAdénwill bebasedattheOfficeofSwedishAmbassadorsStationedinStockholm(UD-KSA).
Hisassignmentincludesregulartripstothe countriesheisresponsiblefor.
Hewilltakeuphisnew postinSeptember 2006.
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
ArjaAschan
Director
Office08-405 3148
Keyword:69750ForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationJanEliasson
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-21
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Swedish election observers to Nicaragua
TheGovernmenthasdecidedtosendtwolong-termandthreeshort-termobserverstoNicaragua
aheadof theparliamentaryandpresidentialelections thataretotakeplaceon5November.The
electionobserversarepartofajointEUmissionthatisexpectedtocompriseatotalof94people.
"Bysendingelectionobservers,SwedenandtheEUcanhelptoensurethatcorrectly-conducted
democraticelectionsareheldinthecountry.Thisisanimportantconditionforcontinued
developmentinthecountry,"saysMinisterforInternationalDevelopmentCooperationCarin
Jämtin.
NicaraguaisoneofSweden'sprimarypartnercountriesinLatinAmerica.Developmentcooperation
aimstosupportNicaragua'seffortstoreducepoverty andcontributetodemocraticdevelopment.
----------
SidaisresponsiblefortherecruitmentandtrainingofSwedishelectionobservers.Questionsmay
beaddressedtoSida'selectionmonitoringgroup.
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
JohnZanchi
CarolinaBenedictsson
DeskOfficer
AmericasDepartment
[phone]
[phone]
Keyword:69747DemocracyandhumanrightsForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationCarinJämtin
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-19
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Swedish support to weapons destruction in Tajikistan
The Government Offices decided today to give EUR 100 000 to the final phase
of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) project
regarding small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition in
Tajikistan.
Theprojectaimsatdestroyingsmallarmsandlightweaponsandconventionalammunition,
increasingsecurityinthehandling,storinganddocumentationofthematerial,andbuildinga
nationalcapabilityfordealingwiththeseactivitiesinthefuture.
TheprojectisledandadministeredbytheOSCEMissioninDushanbeincooperationwithTajik
authorities.TheMissionreportstotheOSCEForumforSecurityCooperationinVienna,whereall
participatingOSCEstatesarerepresented.Sweden'srepresentativeattheForumforSecurity
Cooperation,ColonelClaesNilsson,iscoordinatorfortheOSCElightweaponsprojectin2005and
2006.
SwedenhasalreadyprovidedatotalofSEK1.6milliontotheproject.
------------------
Sincetheprogrammebeganinthesummer of2005,some12tonnesofconventionalammunition
hasbeendestroyed.Thedestructionofatotalof 26000smallarmsandlightweaponsbeganinJune
2006,whenthedestructionfacilityinthecountrybecameoperational.Securityimprovementsas
wellasrenovationandconstructionofsecure weaponandammunitiondepotsareunderwayand
willbecompletedbeforetheendoftheyear.
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
JohnZanchi
KarinHernmarckAhliny
DeputyDirector
EuropeanSecurityPolicyDepartment
[phone]
[phone]
ClaesNilsson
Colonel,MilitaryAdviser
PermanentDelegationofSwedentotheOSCE
[phone]
Keyword:69690Defence,emergencymanagementandsafetyForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationCarinJämtin
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-18
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Report on global challenges launched
AreportonglobalpublicgoodshasbeenlaunchedinconjunctionwiththeIMFandWorldBank
Annual MeetingsinSingaporeonMonday18September.Thereportaddressesthreatsfacing
humanity,includingthespreadofcommunicable diseases,climatechangeasaresultofthe
greenhouseeffect,financialinstability,internationalterrorismaswellastheproliferationanduseof
nuclear weapons.
Thereportstatesthatthesetransboundaryproblemsdemandrenewedcommitmenttointernational
cooperation.Thereportproposesreformsof centralinternationalinstitutionsandpointsoutthe
importanceof allstatescontributingpoliticallyandeconomically.Inaddition,anumberofconcrete
proposalsarepresentedonhowtodealwithpressingchallenges.
SwedenandFrancetogetherappointedtheinternationaltaskforcethathasproducedthereport.
Thereportaswellasasummaryareavailableundertheheading"download".
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
JohnZanchi
TorgnyHolmgren
Director
DepartmentforDevelopmentPolicy
[phone]
Keyword:69610SustainabledevelopmentForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationCarinJämtin
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-14
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Swedish election monitors to Georgia
The Government decided today to send two election monitors to Georgia ahead
of the local elections on 5 October.
"Theelectionsareimportantforcreatingcontinuedstableanddemocraticdevelopmentinthe
country.BysendingelectionmonitorstoGeorgia,Swedencancontributetothedevelopmentofa
functioningelectoralsysteminthecountry,"saysMinisterforInternationalDevelopment
CooperationCarinJämtin.
Thedecision tosendelectionmonitorsfollowsarequestfromtheOrganisationforSecurityand
CooperationinEurope(OSCE).Thistimethe OSCEwillbesendingaLimitedElection
ObservationMissionconsistingoftwentyelectionmonitors.
----------
SidaisresponsiblefortherecruitmentandtrainingofSwedishelectionobservers.Questionsmay
beaddressedtoSida'selectionmonitoringgroup.
CONTACT
JohnHillstierna
PressService
Office08-405 5308
Mobile[phone]
JohnZanchi
AuroreLundkvist
DeputyDirector
EuropeanSecurityPolicyDepartment
[phone]
Keyword:69466DemocracyandhumanrightsForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationCarinJämtin
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-14
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Barbro Holmberg to take part in UN meeting on migration
TheUN highleveldialogueonmigrationanddevelopmentbeginsinNewYorkon14September.
ThisisthefirsttimethatministersfromUNmember statesaretomeetanddiscusshowmigration
canpromotedevelopmentandwhatneedstobedone tocounteritsnegativeaspects.TheSwedish
delegationwillbeledbyMinisterforMigrationandAsylumPolicyBarbroHolmberg.
"Migrationisoneofthemostimportantglobalissuesofthefutureanditbringswithitincredible
developmentcapacity.Whenpeoplemove,knowledgeandexperiencearespread.Theamountof
moneymigrantssendhomeisalreadymore thantwiceasmuchasalldevelopmentassistance.In
countrieswithanageingpopulation,immigrationcanbeanimportantsupplementtothelabour
force.But therearealsodrawbacks.Peopleare takenadvantageofandtreatedbadly.Thisis
somethingwemustdealwith,"saysMsHolmberg.
"Migrationisatransboundaryissueandhastobemanagedincooperationwithothercountries.The
fact that theUNisnowhighlightingtheissueof migrationanddevelopmentforthefirsttimeisan
initialsteptowardsbeingabletomakebetter useof thepotentialpresentedbymigrationand
counter itsdrawbacks."
Swedenhasbeenproactiveinhighlightingthemigrationissueinternationally,includingby
initiatingthe GlobalCommissiononInternationalMigration(GCIM),whosereportispartofthe
materialonwhichthehighleveldialogueisbased.
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
MartinSandgren
Keyword:69451Asylum,migration,integration,minoritiesForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationBarbroHolmberg
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-13
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Increased Swedish support to research on HIV and AIDS
SwedenhasdecidedtocontributeSEK15milliontoeachofthreeresearchorganisationsfortheir
workwithvaccinesandmicrobicidesagainstHIVandAIDS.Theorganisationsarethe
InternationalAIDSVaccineInitiative(IAVI),theInternationalPartnershipforMicrobicides(IPM)
andthePopulationCouncil.
"Researchislong-termandcostlyand,forHIVandAIDS,unusuallycomplicated.SinceSweden
activelypursuesissuesonpreventivemeasuresitisnaturalforustogivesupporttoresearchon
vaccinesandmicrobicides. Ourincreasedcontributiongivesustheopportunitytoputeconomic
weightbehindourpolicyintheareaofHIV/AIDS.Research,preventivemeasures,careand
treatmentaswellasopinionformingwithregardtothecausesandconsequencesofthepandemic
areallimportantpartsofourcohesivestrategyagainstHIV/AIDS,"saysMinisterforInternational
Development CooperationCarinJämtin.
--------------------
Swedenhasalsogiveneconomicsupporttothe three organisationsinthepast,inpartthrough
Sida/SARECandinpartthroughtheMinistryforForeignAffairs.Theevenlydistributed
contributionsamountedtoatotalofSEK12millionin2004andatotalofSEK30millionin2005.
Thisyear,thesupportisincreasedbyatotalofSEK15million,amountingtoSEK45million.
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
JohnZanchi
BengtGunnar Herrström
DeputyDirector
Divisionfor MultilateralDevelopmentAssistance
[phone]
[phone]
Keyword:69440Healthcare,health,socialissues/insuranceForeignpolicyandinternationalcooperationCarinJämtin
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-12
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
New Ambassador in Zagreb
The Government has appointed Director Lars Fredén as Ambassador in Croatia.
LarsFredénhasservedattheEuropeanSpaceAgency (ESA)inParissince2004.Beforethat,he
wasDeputyHeadoftheDepartmentforAsiaandthe PacificRegionattheMinistryforForeign
Affairs.HehasalsoservedatSweden'sembassiesinBeijing,Moscow,RigaandBeirut.
Hewilltakeuphisnew postinSeptember 2006.
CONTACT
ChristianCarlsson
PressOfficer
Office08-405 5880
Mobile[phone]
ArjaAschan
Director
Office08-405 3148
Keyword:69309Foreignpolicyandinternationalcooperation
PRESSRELEASE
2006-09-08
Ministryfor ForeignAffairs
Swedish election observers to Zambia
The Government has decided to send election observers to Zambia ahead of the
presidential and parliamentary elections that will be taking place on 28
September. One long-term and two short-term observers will be sent from