SWEDEN DECLINES TO ACCEPT UZBEK NATIONALS SAMADOV AND YUSUPOV

SECRET S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000696 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR S/CT JMALONEY, EUR IWEINSTEIN, AND L/LEI EDAUGHTERY E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2017 TAGS: PGOV, PTER, KHLS, UZ, PREL, SW SUBJECT: SWEDEN DECLINES TO ACCEPT UZBEK NATIONALS SAMADOV AND YUSUPOV REF: A. STATE 13115 B. STOCKHOLM 436 Classified By: Polcouns Casey Christensen, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (s) MFA Counterterrorism Coordinator Ambassador Cecilia Ruthstrom-Ruin told Polcouns June 8 that the GoS had reviewed our request to accept Uzbek nationals Yusupov and Samadov (refs A and B) and would not be able to accept them. There was no mechanism, she said, for doing so, and their resettlement in Sweden was "out of the question." She said the GoS could not take the decision as a government to accept resettlement cases. Applications when presented by individuals were reviewed by the Swedish Migration Board. The other mechanism for resettlement cases was through the UNHCR and subject to the quota system. Sweden had filled and its resettlement quota, and had in addition accepted a large number of refugees (note: including 7,000 Iraqis in 2006 and a projected 20,000 Iraqis in 2007). 2. (s) Ruthstrom-Ruin said the response to the present request was based on the same principles and reached the same conclusion as our previous requests to Sweden to accept Guantanamo detainees. Ruthstrom-Ruin said "it is natural to wonder why, if these persons require monitoring or protective surveillance, they could not receive it where they were now located in the United States." WOOD