[Sweden]: Message to Turkiye

[Connor]

Kingdom of Sweden Holmgren Administration

March 2007​

Dear Ambassador Hakkı Emre Yunt,

By order of the Executive Office of the Prime Minister and following the recent legal matters surrounding Turkish Aerospace Industries and the blatant attempt by your government to undermine, disregard the sovereignty and dignity of the Kingdom of Sweden we have given ample opportunity for representatives to come forward to discuss how our relationship progresses from this point. It has become abundantly clear that there is no intention for this to take place and despite our serious economic sanctions, this has has little effect on your wholly unacceptable behaviour. Your government represents a serious breach of international norms and the trust that underpins diplomatic process, with no remorse.

Let it be clear, the Government of Sweden will not tolerate this disrespect. Should your government fail to initiate immediate and transparent diplomatic contact to address these violations in good faith, the Kingdom of Sweden will be compelled to take decisive measures. These measures include, but are not limited to, the immediate expulsion of all Turkish diplomatic staff from Swedish territory and the initiation of arrest proceedings for those deemed to be appropriate representatives of the state in accordance with Swedish and international law.

These steps are not threats, they are lawful consequences of continued disregard for our sovereignty. Sweden has historically acted with restraint and professionalism in the face of diplomatic challenges, but repeated violations and disrespect cannot be ignored. So, the choice is clear, engage promptly in good-faith diplomatic discussions to resolve these matters, restore the integrity of your missions and preserve the foundations of bilateral relations or expect armed law enforcement at your front door to execute your arrest.

I trust that your government will consider this correspondence with seriousness. Sweden remains prepared to resolve this matter diplomatically, but only if approached with the transparency, respect and urgency that the situation demands.

Regards,
Erik Sandberg
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Department of Foreign Affairs

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Following the delivery of the formal diplomatic warning to Turkiye, Directorate 47 initiated a discreet operational deployment to ensure continuous oversight of the embassy and its personnel. Agents from the Intelligence Reconnaissance Division (OWL), HUMINT Operations Cell would be carefully positioned around the perimeter and immediate vicinity of the Turkish mission. These operators are fully blended into the civilian envrionment, posing as pedestrians, delivery staff and ordinary passersby to ensure their presence is undetectable to both embassy staff and the public. Their tasking is it maintain a rolling watch on all movements into and out of the compound, noting vehicle arrivals, staff rotations and any unexplained departures.

Complementing the physical surveillance the Technical Surveillance and Electronics Cell within the Operational Support Division (FALCON) would be tasked with covert monitoring platforms designed to intercept communications traffic without leaving any obvious signature. To the outside eye, the area remains calm and uneventful, but in reality a layered surveillance network now engulfs the embassy and its staff. Should the Ambassador or senior personnel attempt to deviate from expected diplomatic channels, agents will transition seamlessly into close shadow surveillance, tracking them through Stockholm with the same invisible presence, their movements logged and relayed in real time to command. Every detail is captured, every anomaly flagged, all while Sweden's highly trained agents remain unseen.
Jay

 

[Jay]

Dışişleri Bakanlığı Ministry of Foreign Affairs​

AUTHENTIC COMMUNIQUE OF THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Security Clearance: Secure and Encrypted ŞİFRELEME KORUMASI: KAPLUĞA​

[Recipient]: Department of Foreign Affairs < Connor > [Sender]: Embassy of Türkiye Sweden< embassy.stockholm@mfa.gov.tr > [Subject]: Confidential // Response to March 2007 Letter

Dear Mr. Sandberg The Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye confirms its receipt of your correspondence dated March 2007 and notes that this is the first official communication from your government since November 2000. Then under the stewardship of Prime Minister Löfven, who wrote a letter to former President Şahin. Noting, of course, that President Şahin’s November 2000 response and Assistant Secretary Ulusoy’s December 2000 letters remained unanswered by your Government. The Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye takes note of this formal letter, following a series of public statements in the press concerning allegations raised by the Government of Sweden. The Republic of Türkiye was not formally informed of these allegations through proper diplomatic channels. As a long-standing and respected member of the international community, the Government of Türkiye would have expected the Government of Sweden to exercise the courtesy of formal engagement before advancing such claims. The tone and tenor of the letter in question are therefore received with particular disappointment. According to the records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, the Government of Sweden has, to date, neither raised formal complaints nor conveyed such matters through official diplomatic exchanges. This observation is not intended to apportion blame, but to clarify that Sweden is mistaken if it believes that such language can contribute to fostering a climate of good-faith dialogue. On the contrary, such an approach risks conveying disregard for international law and diplomatic norms. The Government of Türkiye remains firmly committed to the peaceful and diplomatic resolution of disputes. However, it cannot and will not accept threats or language of an intimidating character. In line with the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it must be underlined that the Government of Türkiye will reciprocate in kind any measures undertaken by the Swedish Government and will respond appropriately to further provocation. The Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye therefore, urges the Government of Sweden to act with the responsibility expected of a nation of its standing. The use of inflammatory and unbecoming rhetoric is inconsistent with Sweden’s long and respected tradition of supporting peace and constructive international engagement. The Government of Türkiye reaffirms its readiness to engage in dialogue and calls upon the Government of Sweden to refrain from any unlawful attempts to harass or detain members of the Turkish diplomatic mission duly accredited and lawfully present within the Kingdom of Sweden. Please accept, Mr. Sandberg, the assurances of my highest consideration. Hakkı Emre Yunt Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye Dag Hammarskjölds Vag 20 115 27 Stockholm, Sweden Phone Number: +46 8 667 29 60

Most mornings, between seven and eight, the diplomats emerged in staggered succession. Wearing Dark overcoats, carrying briefcases, and the occasional exchange of pleasantries in muted Turkish as they entered the embassy. By one PM, some of the offices emptied with similar regularity. Small clusters of staff would depart on foot to eat at nearby bistros or go for strolls in the park, their return just as punctual by two. Six o’clock saw the building steadily hollowed out again, save for a handful of Turkish security men and a few administrative staff who lingered at their desks until the late hours.

The Ambassador himself had his habits. In the early evenings, he was sometimes seen walking around Gärdet’s fields. On other occasions, he appeared in Nobelparken, strolling through the diplomatic quarter, pausing near the stillness of the water and seeing the boats lined up.

Occasionally, the Ambassador and other embassy staff found leisure at Diwan, a Persian restaurant favored by several mid-ranking diplomats. Ordering tea and platters of saffron rice, lingering over long, convivial meals that stretched well into the evening. Their conversations, if listened to by an agent near them, yielded little more than anecdotes from their lives back home, complaints about Stockholm’s weather, and the gossip of different events in the diplomatic quarter or their own lives.

The only noticeable different, looking back if the Swedes did, would be that the tempo at the Embassy was more active when they started surveillance. After the delivery of the letter, the Ambassador began spending longer hours in his office. While some of his staff departed, he and senior-level diplomats were in the building well past six, and would come in earlier.

Thus, the Swedish record would be sparse aside from seeing the general periods of arrival, depature, and occasional outings in groups.