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International defence role for Sweden

collective security in Europe

Tim Ripley talks to Swedish Defence Minister Bjorn von Sydow about Sweden's strategic situation, European defence and links with Russia.

What are the core elements of Sweden's defence policy?
Sweden is a non-aligned country with the option of being neutral in case of war in its vicinity. We are thinking about a system of collective security in Europe and are active participants in the newly emerging security architecture in Europe.

Swedish Defence Minister, Bjorn von Sydow

How has Swedish defence policy changed? Sweden faces no risk of invasion. Developments in Russia are decisive. Our defence planning is based on the positive scenario of Russia becoming a market economy and a democracy. There have to be changes in defence planning if things go wrong so we can increase our capability We are a non aligned county and cannot rely on someone else if things do go wrong. When, as now, there is low tension, we can use national defence forces for international missions and to help civil communities in crisis.
How is Sweden's new defence policy expressed in deployments and operations? One part is our participation in peace-keeping missions. When civil war broke out in Yugoslavia we were one of the first countries to send a battalion to the Tuzla area. However after several years there was no armistice, atrocities continued and there were even problems over the legitimacy of UN troops because of restrictions in the mandate and the command structure. When the Dayton peace accords were agreed NATO was put into the command structure. We have found the NATO-led mission has to a large extent achieved what the UN could not. This result has had strong influence on Sweden.

Between 60 to 70 per cent of the Swedish population want Sweden to be non-aligned but 50 per cent say Sweden should take part in European defence. This has influenced the development of our European Union and Western European Union relations. At the inter-governmental conference the Swedish and Finnish governments proposed the EU should conduct St Petersburg declaration tasks, as well as undertaking peace keeping and peace enforcing roles to avoid crisis.
What is your reaction to calls by British, French and German governments to speed up European defence industry integration? We welcome it and would like to take part.

Sweden is participating in peace-keeping missions

As a non-aligned country we cannot accept decisions on procurement of Swedish defence equipment being made by US defence giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, or the US Congress. We find common concern for a capability in Europe and have been in touch with the British, French and Germans on this development of policy. Sweden has no anti-US sentiment, we want to co-operate with US industry and have good relations with the US administration but for this to continue there has to be an industrial base in Sweden. For us to be competitive and co-operative partners with US manufacturing companies there needs to be more European co-operation.
What can Sweden bring to Europe? We are interested in the Swedish air industry playing a part in any pan European company. The main focal point would be Saab. It is already in a joint venture with British Aerospace to market and develop the JAS 39 Gripen fighter. The civilian part of Saab is restructuring and I hope its manpower and technology can be used in the civilian part of a European company.
We can bring valuable experience to European projects such as our ability to produce very low-cost fighters.
What would be the main aims of Swedish participation in any pan-European aero space company?

Sweden is a non-alligned country with the options of being neutral in case of war in its vicinity

In 1997 Sweden spent 38 billion Swedish krona ($5.2 billion) on its defence industry
P104 Pic B.jpg (10499 bytes)

The Swedish air industry is keen to develop pan-European relationships

Today Gripen is the only available fourth- generation fighter although Eurofighter has also got the go-ahead but there has to be a decision-making process on any project for a new generation of European all-purpose fighter because no one nation can produce such projects.
What are Sweden's defence-spending plans?
In 1996 we reduced spending by 10 per cent. In 1997 we spent 38 billion Swedish krona, ($5.2 billion) or 2.6 per cent of gross domestic product and this amount is fixed until 2001.
How is the Gripen sales campaign going? Saab thinks there are good prospects in Chile and South Africa. In Europe influence is being exerted by British and German governments. The German defence minister has addressed the NATO applicant countries stressing that they are not bound by US decisions on aircraft. He told them Gripen was right from a cost point of view and a European industrial perspective. The British agree.
How are Sweden's links developing with the Russian military?
I am the first Swedish defence minister to establish relations with my Russian counterpart who I met in Moscow and invited to a meeting of Nordic defence ministers. We signed a joint statement of mutual exchanges and I recommended that Russia participates in Partnership for Peace and the European Atlantic Participation Council.

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