• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Sweden to refrain from entering NATO

IRNA

Moscow, Sept 30, Itar-Tass/ACSNA/IRNA -- Sweden will refrain from 
entering NATO which will have a positive effect on Russo-Swedish 
relations, Bjorn von Sydow, the speaker of Swedish parliament 
(Riksdag), told Tass on Tuesday. 
He arrived for an official visit in Moscow. 
Bjorn von Sydow said the two countries had established good 
neighborly relations that are particularly intensive in the area of 
political dialogue, which is promoted also by Swedish policy of 
neutrality. 
He noted that Sweden would celebrate the 190th anniversary of this
policy next year. 
The Swedish parliamentary speaker said most MPs and members of the
cabinet were firmly in favor of the country`s neutrality which makes 
it keep away from joining military blocs. 
He stressed, however, that Sweden cooperates with the alliance in 
peacekeeping operations. 
Besides, he noted, some experts say that Russia is now closer to 
the alliance than Sweden and Finland. 
Bjorn von Sydow believes that Sweden, keeping to the positions of 
neutrality, will be an active member of the European Union, which has 
no plans to modify into a military bloc such as NATO in future. 
Bjorn von Sydow also said Russia can count on the European Union`s
assistance in the economic development of the Kaliningrad region. He 
said that this region must remain part and parcel of the Russian 
Federation. 
Bjorn von Sydow believes the visa regime between the EU and the 
Russian Federation may in future be dropped. 
/AH/210 
End