Sten Tolgfors in a Joint Statement

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Sten Tolgfors in a Joint Statement 2010 Press release 09 July 2010 Ministry of Defence Ministry for Foreign Affairs A strategy for Sweden's overall involvement in Afghanistan The Government today adopted a strategy for Swedish support for international involvement in Afghanistan. In the strategy, the Government establishes objectives for Swedish support and guidelines for how the operations are to contribute to fulfilling the commitments made by the UN Security Council and supported by the EU and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). "Sweden's involvement in Afghanistan is long-term and one of the most important expressions of our commitment to international peace, democracy and development," say Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson and Minister for Defence Sten Tolgfors in a joint statement. The Government recently presented an official website for Swedish support for international involvement in Afghanistan. The website gathers information on how we are working in Afghanistan and the different aspects of the Swedish operation - diplomatic, military, civilian and development cooperation. It contains background information on Swedish and international involvement, and facts about the country of Afghanistan. The website has been developed by the Government Offices in cooperation with the Folke Bernadotte Academy, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Sida and the National Police Board. Contact Anna Charlotta Johansson +46 8 405 00 00 Peter Larsson +46 8 405 10 00 Henrik Hedberg +46 8 405 10 00 Press release 23 June 2010 Ministry for Foreign Affairs Ministry of Defence Official website for Swedish support for international involvement in Afghanistan Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt, Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson and Minister for Defence Sten Tolgfors today launched a web portal for Swedish support for international involvement in Afghanistan. The portal will be an gateway for anyone wishing to know more about why and how Sweden is involved in Afghanistan. "Sweden's involvement in Afghanistan is long-term and is one of the most important expressions of our commitment to international peace, democracy and development. We want to report, in a simple and coordinated way, on why Sweden is involved in Afghanistan, what we do and how we do it," say Mr Bildt, Ms External links Carlsson and Ms Tolgfors in a joint statement. Official website for Swedish support for international The portal gathers information on how we are working in Afghanistan and the different aspects of the Swedish involvement in Afghanistan operation - diplomatic, military, civilian and development cooperation. It contains background information on the Swedish and international involvement and facts about the country of Afghanistan. The portal has been developed by the Government Offices in cooperation with the Folke Bernadotte Academy, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, Sida and the National Police Board. Contact Anna Charlotta Johansson +46 8 405 00 00 Peter Larsson +46 8 405 10 00 Henrik Hedberg +46 8 405 10 00 2009 Press release 14 May 2009 Prime Minister's Office Ministers' engagements weeks 21-22 2009 Subject to change. For further information contact the Minister's press secretary. Related Press contacts Calendar for Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt Prime Minister's Office Calendar for Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt Calendar for Minister for Trade Ewa Björling Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt 18 May Travel in Sweden 20 May Party leader debate ahead of European Parliament election, Riksdag 25 May Travel in Sweden Ministry for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt 18 May Participation in GAERC, Brussels Visit to Göteborg, Sweden 21 May Visit to Warsaw Visegrad Meeting 24-26 May ASEM, Hanoi 27-28 May Visit to Phnom Penh Minister for Trade Ewa Björling 18 May Visit to Göteborg, Sweden 19 May Visit to Almi Företagspartner (Almi Business Partner) 19 May Dialogue meeting on the export ban on Swedish snuff in the EU internal market 20 May Advisory Committee on EU Affairs, Riksdag Meeting with World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick at World Bank meeting, Helsinki 25 May Speech at Africa Day Seminar on Strategic Partnerships for African Development, Stockholm 27 May Main speaker and award presenter at SwedenBIO's Annual General Meeting 27 May Informal meeting with African ambassadors based in Stockholm on EPA negotiations 28 May Competitiveness Council, Brussels 29 May Visit to Tranås, Sweden Press release 19 March 2009 Ministry of Defence A functional defence - with a substantially strengthened defence capability Sweden's defence must be well-prepared to be able to defend this country and to contribute to stability in the surrounding world. This requires a defence system that is adapted to today's threats and to the rapid sequences of events in which conflicts can arise and be determined. It requires a functional, available and flexible defence. For this reason, the Government is now setting a new direction for the Swedish defence system with a substantially strengthened defence capability. Alone and together with others, the military defence must defend Sweden and promote our security. The whole of Sweden must be defended. Our preparedness is continually being adapted to the current threat and risk level of our region. Air and naval forces, including submarines, monitor both the sea and the airspace and can rapidly be adapted to needs both in Sweden and in our region. "When I took up my post, it was obvious that defence needed to be strengthened. The political requirement at that time was only that a third of the operational organisation was to be available, within a year. What the Government is now presenting means a significantly strengthened defence capability compared with today and ensures that our defence will be strong, both for Sweden and for operations within and outside our region. We will achieve a defence that is functional here and now," says Minister for Defence Sten Tolgfors. The main items of the bill are: The entire operational organisation of some 50 000 people will be able to be used within a week after a decision on heightened alert. Today only around one-third of the national operational organisation is equipped and prepared for an operation within one year. All operational units will have the same capability for operations, in Sweden and within and outside our region. This means that the division now existing between the international force for operations abroad and other units will be removed. According to the Swedish Armed Forces' proposal, 28 000 people will be in permanent and contracted units. The Home Guard will be strengthened and will have a more important role in defending Sweden. The Home Guard will consist of a total of 22 000 people and will be part of the operational organisation. Of these, 17 000 will make up the qualified national protection forces, who will be given better training and military equipment and will be under a service obligation even in peacetime. An increase from three available manoeuvre battalions today, to eight tomorrow. This means more than twice as much availability. Twice as much capability for peace-support operations. It will be possible to keep 1 700 people in continuous engagement in international operations. The number of Gripen aircraft will be 100, of the C/D model. The number of new helicopters will successively increase. Main battle tank 122 will be retained and access to splinter-proof vehicles will increase. Artillery and anti-aircraft capability will remain of the same size as today. There will be seven corvettes, five of Visby class; the number of submarines in the operational organisation will be retained. Outside the operational organisation, a reserve unit of four mechanised battalions will be available. Personnel supply will be modernised so that voluntary participation will be the basis of manning the operational organisation instead of compulsory military service. This will be required for greater functionality and availability, but also for the transition to permanent and contracted units. The officer profession will be changed, with more specialist officers who train and command troops and fewer people in staff and command functions. Today's threats against Sweden cannot be dealt with by yesterday's defence. The war in Georgia, for example, shows that developments can occur rapidly. This war went on for five days and was determined in two. Not many Russian soldiers were deployed to the area, but they came very quickly. In the future defence, Sweden will now have more soldiers who can be deployed more rapidly. In Sweden and within or outside our region. The division between a national operational organisation and an international force has now been removed. Everyone should be able to serve where, and when necessary. The security policy map of our region has been fundamentally redrawn in the last 20 years. The Baltic Sea is entirely surrounded by NATO and EU countries, apart from Russia. The threat of invasion from a previous superpower has long disappeared, and a single armed attack targeted directly at Sweden is unlikely for the foreseeable future. However, this does not mean that we can exclude the risk of military conflicts of interest and incidents in our region, either on or around the Baltic Sea or in the northern areas. It is not possible to envisage a military threat that would only affect Sweden or another country in our region. But the new threats require us to be able to act, individually and together with others, at short notice. Security is being built collectively, for the Nordic countries and the EU. The Government wants to see far-reaching Nordic cooperation and sees no limits in principle to such cooperation so long as national decision-making power concerning operational capabilities remains. In the Statement of Government Policy, the Government emphasises that the security of our country is founded on community and cooperation with other countries.
Recommended publications
  • Big Brother Sweden: Critics Force Snoop Law Postponement
    Big Brother Sweden: Critics force snoop law postponement By Global Research Region: Europe Global Research, June 18, 2008 Theme: Police State & Civil Rights thelocal.se 18 June 2008 Swedish lawmakers have agreed to postpone plans for the passing into law of a controversial surveillance bill following an emotional debate in the Riksdag on Tuesday evening. A last gasp appeal from the Centre Party was accepted by the government, which promised to strengthen the law with regard to civil liberties. Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said his Moderate Party would back the amendments proposed by dissenting members of parliament in the governing coalition. Rather than facing a straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote on Wednesday morning, the government’s proposal is expected to be referred back to the parliament’s defence committee for further consultation. Centre Party MP Fredrick Federley made an emotional plea to his coalition partners on Tuesday evening to rethink the proposed legislation. “The pros and cons need to be weighed up very carefully before reaching what is a very, very difficult decision. Certain issues are of so much greater importance than others that we must give them whatever time it takes,” he said. Federley added that signal surveillance could sometimes be necessitated, but not in the form set out in the current proposal. He then asked Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors whether the government intended taking further steps to guarantee the protection of civil liberties. Such a move would be decisive if he were to vote in favour of the law, said Federley. A year after the bill was first put on ice following pressure from the opposition, the government eventually agreed to take another look at the proposed legislation.
    [Show full text]
  • Migration Between Politics, Journalism and PR New Conditions for Power, Citizenship and Democracy?
    10.2478/nor-2014-0109 Nordicom Review 35 (2014) Special Issue, pp. 141-153 Migration between Politics, Journalism and PR New Conditions for Power, Citizenship and Democracy? Göran Palm & Håkan Sandström Abstract In this article we present a preliminary theoretical background and some empirical findings concerning a migrating trend between the fields of politics, PR and journalism: one day a political reporter, the next a communication officer; one day a PR consultant, the next a state secretary. To understand contemporary politics one must, we argue, comprehend the convergence between three fields of power holders that together form the realm of politics and communication: elite politicians, elite political reporters and elite communication/PR officers. Together, they form a communication elite that sets the parameters for the public discourse on politics. When politics is produced and constructed in, and through, social networks formed by elite agents from politics, journalism and PR, what does this mean for how democracy is worked out and what does it mean for citizenship in general? Keywords: communication elites, convergence, politics, public relations, journalism, de- mocracy Introduction This text can be seen as a starting point for a research project – Post-politics in Medi- aocracy: the structural transformation of political communication – dealing with the fundamentals of contemporary Swedish politics and democracy. The basic outline of the project concerns social power, power agents and the production and construction of ‘the political’. In focus are the agents that form the realm of politics and political communication, that is, those agents that possess the resources to produce a dominant discourse – a basic knowledge structure – of politics and democracy, but also how this agency is socially and culturally contextualized.
    [Show full text]
  • General Elections in Sweden from Corinne Deloy Th Translated by Helen Levy 19 September 2010
    SWEDEN European Elections monitor General Elections in Sweden from Corinne Deloy th Translated by Helen Levy 19 September 2010 On 19th September next 7 million Swedes are being called to renew all of their MPs: both national ANALYSIS (members of the Riksdag, the only Chamber of Parliament) and local (town councils and county councils). Norwegians and Icelanders who live in the kingdom, those with a nationality of another State but registered as resident in Sweden for the last three consecutive years and citizens of the 26 other EU Member States will be entitled to vote in the local elections. With regard to the general election voters can vote by post in advance in all of the country’s post offices during the 18 days preceding the election i.e. as from 1st September. If they so wish they can cancel their postal vote by returning to the ballot box on Election Day. 497,000 Swedes will be voting for the first time on 19th September next i.e. +15% in comparison with the last general elections on 17th September 2006, representing 9% of all voters. Finally 132,780 Swedes living abroad will be taking part in the election. Just one month from the election the result is still uncertain. Many political analysts believe that the election will be fought out in the centre. In a SIFO poll in July 36% of Swedes said they tended to the right, 24% to the left and 33% to the centre. Another poll in July showed that 46% of voters thought that the Alliance forces, in office at present, were going to win on 19th September whilst 40% were forecasting a change in government and therefore a victory for the left.
    [Show full text]
  • Gästlista Pdf, 72.3 Kb, Öppnas I Nytt Fönster
    MIDDAG HOS DD.MM. KONUNGEN OCH DROTTNINGEN PÅ STOCKHOLMS SLOTT TORSDAGEN DEN 12 APRIL 2007 KL. 19.30 H.M. Konungen H.M. Drottningen H.K.H. Hertiginnan av Halland Prinsessan Christina, Fru Magnuson Generalkonsul Tord Magnuson CORPS DIPLOMATIQUE: Ambassadör Pedro Comissário Afonso, Mozambique, och Mrs. Mariana Dava Ambassadör Alojz Mészáros, Slovakien, och Mrs. Eleonóra Csanaky Ambassadör Quang Thanh Trinh, Vietnam, och Mrs. Thi Trinh Vu Ambassadör Alec Aalto, Finland, och Fru Merja Tuomas-Kettunen-Aalto Ambassadör Ovid Harasich, Chile, och Mrs. Gardenia Harasich Ambassadör Norma Pensado Moreno, Mexico, och Mr. Patricio Montecinos Faundez Ambassadör Theresia Samaria, Namibia, och Mr. Johannes Samaria Ambassadör Tom Risdahl Jensen, Danmark, och Fru Helle Bundgaard Ambassadör Ernesto Melendez Bachs, Kuba, och Mrs. Nēlida Minobis Ambassadör Wolfgang Trautwein, Tyskland, och Mrs. Jane Trautwein Ambassadör Bernadette Sebage Rathedi, Botswana Ambassadör Abigail Mejía-Ricart Eklund, Dominikanska republiken. Doyen, och Mr. Roger Eklund, ingenjör RIKSDAGEN: Tredje vice talman Liselott Hagberg, (fp), och polisinspektör Göran Hagberg Riksdagsledamot Göran Lennmarker, (m) Ordf. i UU, och fru Gunilla Lennmarker Riksdagsledamot Alice Åström, (v) gruppledare, och journalist Lars Johansson Ambassadör Anne Dismorr, Riksdagens internationella kansli, och herr Michael Dismorr REGERINGEN: Statsrådet Maud Olofsson, (c) näringsminister, vice statsminister, och Personalchef Rolf Olofsson Statsrådet Mats Odell, (kd) Finansdep. Kommun- och finansmarknadsminister,
    [Show full text]
  • Press Statement Nordic-Baltic Defence Ministers Meeting 15 November 2011, Örebro, Sweden Further Enhanced Nordic-Baltic Cooperation
    2011 Press release 16 November 2011 Ministry of Defence Press Statement Nordic-Baltic Defence Ministers meeting 15 November 2011, Örebro, Sweden Further enhanced Nordic-Baltic Cooperation - The Nordic and Baltic Defence Ministers decided to further enhance the Nordic-Baltic Defence cooperation. We all agree that our cooperation should be mutually rewarding with a focus on an improved operational out-put and cost-effectiveness. As a consequence of today's discussion a number of areas will be further explored, including a deepened and developed co-operation on veteran issues, training and exercises, education and armaments procurement. - The ministers have discussed gender issues in military operations. In 2012 a centre of competence on gender in military operations will be launched in Sweden. - The Ministers have also exchanged views on the emerging threats and challenges to the Nordic-Baltic region, including cyber defence, energy security and green policy issues as well as defence sector support to civilian crisis management in case of emergency. - The ministers agreed to convene an expert level working group to formulate proposals to strengthen cyber defence policy. Contact Henrik Hedberg +46 8 405 10 00 Jesper Gyberg Press Assistant +46 8 405 25 30 +46 70 618 42 53 email to Jesper Gyberg Press release 15 November 2011 Ministry of Defence Press Statement NORDEFCO Ministers meeting 15 November 2011 The Nordic Defence Cooperation The Nordic ministers met today on 15 November and have confirmed their commitment to the Nordic cooperation as a broad, flexible and effective cooperation. In a European setting of Economic instability and reduced defence budgets in many countries, Nordic countries expressed a will to enhance our cooperation even further.
    [Show full text]
  • Speaker and Prime Minister Presented Gift to Crown Princess Victoria and Mr Daniel Westling
    2010 Press release 31 May 2010 Prime Minister's Office Speaker and Prime Minister presented gift to Crown Princess Victoria and Mr Daniel Westling At the pre-wedding reception at the Royal Palace of Stockholm, Speaker of the Riksdag Per Westerberg and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt presented the joint gift of the Riksdag and the Government to H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria and Mr Daniel Westling. Related The royal wedding The gift is a set of glasses designed by Professor Erika Lagerbielke and handmade by Orrefors in the Kingdom of Crystal in Småland. The glasses are intended for use when the Crown Princess and Prince Daniel entertain guests. The set consists of a total of 200 settings of five different types of glasses designed to meet the needs of an official banquet. The gift was presented in a case made in the Riksdag's carpenter's workshop. Contact Roberta Alenius Presschef hos Fredrik Reinfeldt +46 8 405 49 04 Press release 12 April 2010 Prime Minister's Office Ministry for Foreign Affairs Fredrik Reinfeldt and Carl Bildt travel to Washington for Nuclear Security Summit On 12-13 April 2010 Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will be in Washington to attend the Nuclear Security Summit. President Barack Obama will host the summit together with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and a total of approximately 50 heads of state and government will be present. Programme points: External links Monday 12 April Read more about the Nuclear Security Summit on the US 16.00 Bilateral meeting with Mexico's President Felipe Calderón.
    [Show full text]
  • Sten Tolgfors - CV Page 1 of 2
    Sten Tolgfors - CV Page 1 of 2 Sten Tolgfors - CV Minister for Defence Moderate Party Personal Born on 17 July 1966 in Forshaga. Lives in Örebro. Education B.Sc. in Political Science, Örebro University, Sweden Social Science Programme, Karlberg Upper Secondary School, Åmål Diploma, Oakcrest High School, USA Positions and assignments 2006- Minister for Foreign Trade 2006 Member of the Riksdag 2006 Member of the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs 2003-2006 Member of the Riksdag Committee on Education 2003-2006 Party Spokesman on education 2002-2003 Member of the Riksdag Committee on Social Insurance 2002-2003 Party Spokesman on social insurance 2002-2006 Member of the Riksdag 2002 Member of the Moderate Party National Board 1998-2002 Member of the Riksdag Committee on Foreign Affairs 1998-2002 Member of the Swedish Delegation to the Nordic Council 1998-2002 Alternate Member of the Riksdag Delegation to the OSCE parliamentary assembly (Organisation for Security and Cooperation) 1998-2002 mhtml:file://\\editbrusw1\prd$\adlib\temp\sede171109cvtolgfors_en.mht 12/11/09 Sten Tolgfors - CV Page 2 of 2 Alternate Member of the Riksdag Committee on Education 1998 - 2002 Member of the Riksdag 1994-2002 Alternate Member of the Riksdag Committee on Industry and Trade 1995-1996 EU 96 Committee 1994-1998 Member of the Riksdag 1994-1998 Alternate Member of the Riksdag Committee on Foreign Affairs 1994-1998 Alternate Member of the Riksdag Committee on Education 1990-1995 Member of the National Board of the Moderate Party Youth Organisation 1993-1994 Political
    [Show full text]
  • Finland, Sweden, and NATO
    February 2011 STRATEGIC FORUM National Defense University About the Author Finland, Sweden, and Leo G. Michel is a Distinguished Research Fellow in the Center for NATO: From “Virtual” Strategic Research, Institute for National Strategic Studies, at the to Formal Allies? National Defense University. by Leo G. Michel Key Points ◆◆ The United States has an overarch- ing national security interest in Eu- Does the “Open Door” Face North? ropean partners that broadly share U.S. values and are willing to help he “Open Door” policy of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization foster peace and security both regionally and globally. Since the (NATO) has been an article of faith for Allies and aspirants alike for early 1990s, Finland and Sweden more than a decade. Its most recent formulation, approved at the No- have transformed their security policies and defense structures in vember 2010 Lisbon Summit, states: “The door to NATO membership remains ways that improve their ability to T fully open to all European democracies which share the values of our Alliance, work closely with America. which are willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of mem- ◆◆ 1 Finland and Sweden plan to main- bership, and whose inclusion can contribute to common security and stability.” tain capable (albeit smaller) militar- ies, reflecting lingering doubts re- In practice, however, near-term prospects for further enlargement toward garding Russia and rising concerns Eastern and Southeastern Europe have stalled for various reasons: about other security
    [Show full text]
  • Snabbprotokoll 2009/10:119, Måndagen Den 17 Maj-Kl. 15.00 – 15.03
    Riksdagens protokoll 2009/10:119 Måndagen den 17 maj Protokoll Kl. 15.00 – 15.03 2009/10:119 1 § Justering av protokoll Justerades protokollen för den 3, 4, 5, 6 och 7 maj. 2 § Meddelande om ändring i kammarens sammanträdesplan Talmannen meddelade att voteringen onsdagen den 19 maj kl. 9.00 skulle utgå. Voteringen kl. 16.00 skulle äga rum enligt tidigare planering. 3 § Meddelande om frågestund Talmannen meddelade att vid frågestunden torsdagen den 20 maj kl. 14.00 skulle följande statsråd närvara: Statsrådet Mats Odell (kd), justitieminister Beatrice Ask (m), stats- rådet Åsa Torstensson (c), integrations- och jämställdhetsminister Nyamko Sabuni (fp) och statsrådet Ewa Björling (m). 4 § Anmälan om inkomna uppteckningar från EU-nämnds- sammanträde Talmannen anmälde att uppteckningar från EU-nämndens samman- träde fredagen den 16 april inkommit. 5 § Anmälan om fördröjda svar på interpellationer Till riksdagen hade inkommit följande skrivelser: Interpellation 2009/10:344 Till riksdagen Interpellation 2009/10:344 Sidas fortsatta arbete med hbt-frågor inom biståndet av Börje Vestlund (s) Interpellationen kommer att besvaras tisdagen den 8 juni 2010. 1 Prot. 2009/10:119 Skälet till dröjsmålet är tidigare inbokade engagemang. 17 maj Stockholm den 11 maj 2010 Utrikesdepartementet Gunilla Carlsson (m) Enligt uppdrag Inga Eriksson Fogh Expeditionschef Interpellation 2009/10:358 Till riksdagen Interpellation 2009/10:358 Sjukförsäkringens betydelse för försörj- ningsstödets utveckling av Monica Green (s) Interpellationen kommer att besvaras onsdagen den 9 juni 2010. Skälet till dröjsmålet är redan inplanerade externa aktiviteter. Stockholm den 6 maj 2010 Socialdepartementet Cristina Husmark Pehrsson (m) Enligt uppdrag Marianne Jenryd Expeditions- och rättschef Interpellation 2009/10:359 Till riksdagen Interpellation 2009/10:359 En långsam och ständigt pågående etnisk rensning av Amineh Kakabaveh (v) Interpellationen kommer att besvaras fredagen den 4 juni 2010.
    [Show full text]
  • Swedish Security & Defence Policy 1990-2012
    Royal Military Academy, Military Academy Karlberg, Brussels Stockholm Swedish Security & Defence Policy 1990-2012 The transformation from neutrality to solidarity through a state identity perspective Cdt Dan Lundquist Supervisor: Dr. Nina Wilén This bachelor thesis comprises 18 ECTS and is included as a compulsory part of the Swedish National Defence College Officers’ Programme 2010-2013 (180 ECTS) at the Military Academy Karlberg, Stockholm The European Union’s ERASMUS Exchange Programme, Royal Military Academy Brussels, May 2013 The Royal Military Academy of Belgium Page 2 of 62 2013-05 Cdt Dan Lundquist “God and the soldier we both adore when at the brink of ruin, not before. The danger over, both are like requited, God is forgotten, and the soldier slighted.” – Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) The Royal Military Academy of Belgium Page 3 of 62 2013-05 Cdt Dan Lundquist Acknowledgement First and foremost I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr Nina Wilén for her valuable support, constructive critique, and insightful comments when planning and accomplishing this thesis. I wish to acknowledge the support from the staff of the Department of Conflict Studies, particularly the assistance provided by Lt Col Bruno Janssens, Mj Koen Troch, Adjt Franky Cools, and Lt Lic Pietro Caputo, which has been highly appreciated and has facilitated my time at the Academy. I would like to offer my sincere acknowledgements to Mara Kreslina (at the Swedish National Defence College in Stockholm) for her excellent and much appreciated language support. I wish to thank Paloma Blanco (a former Erasmus-student at RMA) for taking the time to answer many of the questions I had about writing my thesis in Brussels.
    [Show full text]
  • Fredrik Reinfeldt to Receive UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
    2014 Press release 13 May 2014 Prime Minister's Office Ministry of Justice Fredrik Reinfeldt to receive UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon On Wednesday 14 May, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt will receive UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for discussions. The agenda includes the very disturbing developments in Ukraine and Syria, the UN's efforts to reach agreement on sustainable development goals post-2015, and preparations ahead of the Secretary-General's high- level meeting on climate change to be held in New York in September, which is one step on the road to the climate change conference in Paris in 2015 (COP21). Webcast Press conference with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Ban Ki-moon is visiting Sweden to hold the opening address at the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in Stockholm. Together with Mr Reinfeldt and Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billström, he will also take part in a study visit to IT consultancy company Cybercom. The company depends on labour immigration from other countries. The aim of the visit is to gain an insight into Sweden's system for labour immigration, which is one of the most open in the world. It paves the way for people from around the world to come to Sweden to work and contribute to the Swedish society, while also enriching their home country. Programme points: 13.00 Fredrik Reinfeldt and Ban Ki-moon speak at the opening ceremony of the Global Forum on Migration and Development. 14.25 Fredrik Reinfeldt and Ban Ki-moon arrive at Rosenbad.
    [Show full text]
  • Sweden Manual
    Communicating Europe: Sweden Manual Information and contacts on the Swedish debate on EU enlargement in the Western Balkans Supported by the Strategic Programme Fund of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office 2 Communicating Europe: Sweden Manual ABOUT THIS MANUAL Who shapes the debate on the future of EU enlargement in Sweden today as the country takes over the EU Presidency in July 2009? This manual aims to provide an overview by introducing the key people and key institutions. It starts with a summary of core facts about Sweden. It looks at the packed timetable of the Swedish EU Presidency and the many issues on its agenda – including EU enlargement and visa liberalisation for the Western Balkan states. As background to one of the most intensive EU presidencies in recent years the manual describes the Swedish scene; the most important interest groups, the key government institutions, the current government, parliament and the main political parties and the key think-tanks. It looks at the country‟s mix of economic liberalism and welfare policies. It offers an overview of the policy debates on the EU, on future enlargement and the Western Balkans. Space is also given to the media landscape; TV, radio and print media and the internet-based media. As the British academic Timothy Garton Ash has recently written: “Talking here to a leading figure in the upcoming Swedish presidency of the EU, one understands what a hectic circus it will be in the last few months of 2009.” Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has commented on the government‟s intensive presidency planning: “Sometimes things turn out like the John Lennon song: „Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans‟.” The prime minister added: “Planning is important, but things seldom turn out the way you intended.” Any debate in a vibrant democracy is characterised by a range of views.
    [Show full text]