Code Message No. 7163 from Ambassador Szymanowski in Stockholm to Birecki

164

June 5, code message of the ambassador in Stockholm

Regarding the Rapacki Plan and the domestic

and foreign policy of Sweden

Top secret!

Code message No 7163

from Stockholm June 5, 19.00 hrs

Birecki

From Szulkin’s conversation with Sven Andersson, minister of defense and member of the leadership of the Social Democratic party:

1) The Rapacki Plan – interesting, but the matter depends only on the great powers. Sweden supports summit discussion on this matter and will take part if invited. Dulles’s alternative: 'all or nothing'^7[1] does not lead anywhere and cannot hold. What remains are partial solutions.

2) The Swedish government understanding for the Polish proposal regarding Germany. Not only Poland, but also other Germany’s neighbors cannot think of reunification in view of FRG domination, equipped with nuclear weapons.

3) Sweden has not decided about their own nuclear arsenal – they are waiting for further developments. Meanwhile research continues, so that from the time of decision (perhaps one, two years), they could have their own bomb in 6–8 years. In public opinion, the majority favors their own bomb (Gallup 46 for, 36 against), in the social democratic party – most are against, including Erlander, Unden, Andersson.

On the other hand, nearly the entire public opinion, except the leadership of the  conservatists, opposes purchase of bombs in other countries: too expensive and related to the political circumstances.

4) Despite the failure to win a majority in the Second Chamber, the government is determined to stay. They realize however, that compromise with the opposition will be necessary – perhaps even on the key issue of pensions.^8[2]

/–/ Szymanowski

AMSZ, ZD 6/77, w. 60, t. 852

⁷ The reference is to the State Department position, critical of the Plan and rejected in the note of May 3, arguing that the Polish proposals are too limited; see doc. no 142.

⁸ The lower chamber on the Swedish parliament was dissolved on April 28 after it rejected the government bill to introduce additional pension at employers’ expense. Election was hold on June 1, and prime minister Tage Erlander remained, but the government failed to win the majority necessary to pass this bill.