[Australia]: Message to Sweden [SEC=TOP SECRET]

[Owen]

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COMMANDING OFFICER, NO. 34 SQUADRON​

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: TOP SECRET​

10 June 2007

Dear Secretary Johansson, I have had a formal request given to me by the Government of Australia to organise a VIP transport flight for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to travel from Canberra to Brasilia in Brazil. This is the first of its kind request to transport an Australian dignitary to South America. We've assessed options such as flying from Canberra or Hobart to Santiago in Chile and have concluded there would be little if no fuel left in the aircraft by the time it got to Santiago. The cheapest and most secure option we have is to fly from Canberra to RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands, in the territory of our ally, the United Kingdom, in order to refuel to keep going towards Brasilia. I have attached a map of why this route makes practical sense and is the most direct with a refuelling stop. The aircraft does belong to the Royal Australian Air Force, though it is unarmed. I am requesting we have the rights to flyover Swedish territory in Antarctica as detailed in the map below, which will be a section of West Antarctica around the Marie Byrd Land and Ellsworth Land. Yours sincerely, Wing Commander Sarah-Jane Leech.

RAAF Base Fairbairn, CANBERRA, ACT 2609 Telephone: (02) 6257 9000​

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Connor

 

[Connor]

Kingdom of Sweden Holmgren Administration

May 2007​

Dear Wing Commander Leech,

On behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden, I acknowledge receipt of your correspondence regarding the planned route for your VIP transport flight for senior dignitaries from Canberra to Brasilia via RAF Mount Pleasant. First and foremost, I appreciate the professional diligence with which your team has assessed viable flight paths and the practical necessity for refuelling en route which has in-turn lead to your contact with my office.

We recognise both the importance of this journey and the historical nature of this being the first such request to South America.

Following direct consultation with the Department of Antarctic Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs and relevant competent security authorities I am happy to confirm that the Government of Sweden grants overflight rights through Swedish Antarctica, specifically the designated corridor above Marie Byrd Land and Ellsworth Land, for the purpose of this VIP transport. It should be noted however due to the hostile nature of this territory that search and rescue capabilities and air traffic control measures are limited. This route is flown at the discretion of your undoubtedly capable flight crew. In any event, our emergency diplomatic lines remain open should they be required.

This authorisation is issued on the understanding that the aircraft remains unarmed and dedicated exclusively to VIP transport, the Royal Australian Air Force will provide Sweden with advance notification of the planned flight path, estimated timings and transponder details where operationally possible and any deviations of emergency diversions involving Swedish Antarctica will be immediately communicated to the Swedish Homeland Security Agency.

Again, we value cooperation with Australia and especially our close friend the United Kingdom. We are confident this transit will reinforce a shared commitment to coordinated international engagement in the future, despite our rocky relationship in the past.

Safe travel.

Regards,
Mattias Johansson
Secretary of Defence
Department of Defence

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TOP SECRET
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