Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Fridolin (MP): The right to reply in Russian affairs – Expressen

Fridolin (MP): The right to reply in Russian affairs – Expressen

If the Russian ambassador have questions about upcoming Swedish military exercises should Sweden to answer them – unless it’s about secret information.

It was the announcement from the Green Party spokesperson, Education Minister Gustav Fridolin, when he today responded to questions from the parliamentary journalists.

Expressen met the Minister of Education and spokesperson Gustav Fridolin after his hour-long visit to the parliamentary journalists on Tuesday morning.

He commented when revelations revelations the last few days.

During a meeting last week between the Cabinet Secretary Annika Söder and the Russian Ambassador Viktor Tatarintsev were also prepared detailed questions about the exercise to be conducted in March and April at the initiative of the United States.

“It’s perfectly reasonable”

The State Secretary promised that no Swedish Gripen aircraft to land on the Estonian Air Base Amare.

The memorandum stated:

“Tatarintsev seemed satisfied with the answer.”

– As I understand it has cabinet secretary answered questions that have been asked, says Gustav Fridolin today.

Is it reasonable ?

– to Sweden to answer questions from other countries, even if it’s not secret information, it is perfectly reasonable.

“No other country will affect”

You should discuss the Swedish defense exercises with the Russian ambassador if he asks questions?

– No other country will affect how Sweden is acting militarily or exercise military with others countries. It is a very important principle. As I understand it has not been possible in this case, without the Armed Forces themselves have decided how to act and how to practice, and Sweden answered questions based on it.

But, according to a government report were Foreign Minister Ms Wallström in talks with Finnish Foreign Minister discussed the upcoming military exercise.

How do you see that the Russian ambassador was satisfied with the answers he got?

– I was not myself at that meeting.

Had you wanted to be at the meeting?

– No, it’s not my job to be on the meeting as Minister of Education. There are a lot of educational issues, not least about how young LGBTQ people have it and their opportunities for good schooling in Russia – which I like to discuss.



“Convinced that Russia knows”

Should cabinet secretary taking it up instead?

– Now it was not just this meeting was about. It was not on the agenda for this meeting, so why should not I be on that meeting.

The opposition believes that the cabinet secretary should have stressed that it is not Russia’s thing to have opinions on a Swedish military exercise.

– I am convinced that Russia knows, and that we emphasize in various contexts.

But Cabinet Secretary stressed not, according to the Government Memorandum become famous?

– I was not at the meeting so I can not answer. But it is something I am convinced that Russia knows and that the Swedish government has stressed in many different contexts, and one can say too: the Swedish position at large in these matters, we have unfortunately had occasion to emphasize also open since it took office .

Requires Wallström to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

One last question: There has been a discussion about the Gripen aircraft in Estonia. About the Armed Forces would change his mind and would like landing with Gripen in Estonia – can they do it now after slips which the Russian ambassador has received?

– I have no information other than that the Armed Forces both plan and take this exercise themselves.

So they can land if they now choose to change the exercise?

– I am not fully versed in how the regulations looks, but I have no information other than that the Armed Forces both planned and owns this exercise themselves.

Several opposition politicians require for this reason that Margot Wallström to the Foreign Affairs Committee and explains itself. When the Advisory Council this afternoon gather for a meeting in Stockholm Palace will Conservative leader Anna Kinberg Batra require that the government accounts for talks with Russia.

LikeTweet

No comments:

Post a Comment