5. LIKEWISE THE SWEDES HAVE STRESSED AT OFFICIAL LEVEL THAT THEY
SEE THEIR ROLE IN CDE LESS AS HOSTS THAN AS MEMBERS OF THE NNA
GROUP. NEVERTHELESS I SUSPECT PALME AND BODSTROM WOULD TRY TO ACT AS
MEDIATORS IF THE EAST-WEST GOING GOT TOUGH: LOCAL POLITICS
WOULD DEMAND IT. I SEE NO POINT IN MENTIONING THIS BUT YOU
MAY WISH TO BEAR IN MIND.
6. I THINK BODSTROM WOULD WELCOME A GENERAL DISCUSSION ON THE
MIDDLE EAST, COVERING AN ASSESSMENT OF IRAN/IRAQ (WHEN AND HOW WILL THE WAR END), ISRAEL, AND THE GENERAL SITUATION IN LEBANON INCLUDING PROSPECTS FOR UNIFIL (IN WHICH THE SWEDES HAVE A HOSPITAL) AND MLF. HE MAY WELL ASK HOW YOU VIEW BRITISH PART-
ICIPATION IN MLF AND THE RELEVANCE OF MLF ITSELF IN THE PRESENT
CONTEXT, A MATTER ON WHICH HE HAS EXPRESSED DOUBTS TO MY US
COLLEAGUE. CYPRUS MAY ALSO BE ON HIS MIND, GIVEN SWEDEN'S UN
INVOLVEMENT THERE..
7. HE IS LESS LIKELY THAN HIS PUS (SCHORI) TO RAISE CENTRAL
AMERICA OR GRENADA, ON WHICH THE SWEDES - HAVING SAID THAT
AMERICAN ACTION HAS NO LEGALITY AND HAVING VOTED FOR THE UNGA
RESOLUTION - HAVE SAT BACK WITH CAREFUL DETACHMENT. HOWEVER
HE MAY SEEK YOUR VIEWS ON SOUTH AFRICAN INTENTIONS IN NAMIBIA.
DE SPI TE · OR PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THEIR CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THE FRONT-LINE STATES, THE SWEDES ARE CRITICAL OF WHAT
THEY SEE AS THE CONTACT GROUP'S LETHARGY AND WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT PRIOR CUBAN WITHDRAWAL HAS TO BE FACED AS A PRACTICAL ISSUE.
A
8. FINALLY, BODSTROM WILL JUST HAVE COME BACK FROM PEKING AND
TOKYO AND MAY BE KEEN TO TALK IN PARTICULAR ABOUT CHINA, WHERE
HE TOOK THE LEADERSHIP TO TASK OVER THE PRESENT WAVE OF EX- ECUTIONS (MUCH TO THE CONSTERNATION OF SWEDISH BUSINESS INTERESTS).
AS THE CHINESE VICE-FOREIGN MINISTER TALKED TO THE SWEDES ABOUT
HONG KONG WHEN IN STOCKHOLM IN SEPTEMBER | IMAGINE THE CHINESE
DID LIKEWISE WITH BODSTROM IN PEKING. EVEN IF THEY DID NOT
YOU MIGHT FIND IT USEFUL TO DO SO, TO SET HIM STRAIGHT.
9. AFTER HIS TALK WITH YOU, BODSTROM WILL GO ON TO HIS OLD FRIEND
LEN MURRAY. ONE GENERAL TOPIC FOR LUNCHEON CONVERSATION MIGHT BE
PALME'S IDEA FOR AN UNEMPLOYMENT THINK TANK ON THE LINES OF RAND, ETC, WHICH HE MENTIONED IN HIS STRASBOURG SPEECH ON 28 SEPTEMBER (COPY WITH DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT). BODSTROM AS AN OLD TRADE
UNIONIST MIGHT ENJOY EXPANDING ON THIS.
MURRAY
LIMITED
WED
NEWS D
PROTOCOLD
SOUD
MED
NENAD
SAFD FED PS.
PS LADY YOUNG
PS / ME WHITNEY Ps / Pus
SIR J BULLARD MR JENKINS
CONFIDENTIAL
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