United States | Wire to Sweden and Poland

[Odinson]

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OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE​

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ENCRYPTED MESSAGE​

TO: Carl Bildt, Secretary of Foreign Affairs for The Kingdom of Sweden ( Connor ); Marek Kwiatkowski, Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Kingdom of Poland ( ManBear )​

FROM: Grace Moss, Deputy Secretary of State of the United States of America

Honorable Ministers,

Secretary of State Adams is currently occupied by the Australian Official Visit in Washington D.C. which will be going on for the next few days. He has directed me to contact the two of you directly and to request that a meeting be set up between the three of us as soon as possible. The topic of discussion for this meeting is the current political and economic situation in Turkey, which I am told is now teetering on the edge of total disaster. Because of the importance of what we will be discussing, and the potential cost, I feel that this meeting should be held in person, even though it may be brief. The White House does not want our meeting to detract from the Australian visit in Washington, so I am inviting both of you to New York City instead. If you are unavailable, please send another senior official in your place. I also recommend that you have an economic advisor accompany your representative as well. I will be there, in person, along with a representative from the Treasury Department and possibly one other economic advisor.

I apologize for the short notice about this meeting. Please let me know if there are any complications. The Diplomatic Security Service will contact both of your offices with more meeting details shortly after you receive this message. I am sure it goes without saying, but this meeting between the three of us should not be made public.

Respectfully,

Grace Moss
Deputy Secretary of State
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The Diplomatic Security Service securely sent more information to the ministers' offices about the visit. The DSS confirmed the Americans that would be at the meeting and that the meeting would be at the following address in downtown Manhattan:

1 World Trade Center
107th Floor
New York, NY 10048

They were informed that DSS was going to have the primary responsibility of protecting the meeting, but that they would be coordinating with the Port Authority Police, the NYPD, and the FBI. The meeting would be private and they would not have to worry about anyone listening in. Finally, the meeting would be over dinner which was being provided for free, courtesy of the State Department. The visiting dignitaries would have the option of staying in New York City that night, or flying home after dinner. Either way, DSS would assist with their accommodations.​

 

[ManBear]

To: Grace Moss; Deputy Secretary of State United States of America; Odinson; Carl Bildt, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Sweden Connor

Subject: State Visit

CC: N/A

Security: Secured and Encrypted TOP SECRET

Deputy Secretary Moss, Thank you for reaching out to my office regarding the ongoing situation evolving within Turkey. I fully understand the urgency and sensitivity of the matter at hand and on behalf of His Majesty's government, I can confirm my attendance to the proposed meeting in New York City to discuss this ever evolving situation. Given the potential ramifications of crisis, I will be accompanied by a senior economic adviser from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Economy as well as an advisor from the Office of State Protection. This is to better insure we are able to have an open and constructive dialogue between our three nations.

Regards, Marek Kwiatkowski Minister of Foreign Affairs Kingdom of Poland

 

[Connor]

Kingdom of Sweden Reinfeldt Administration

May 2006​

Dear Deputy Secretary Grace Moss,

Firstly please accept the apologies of the Secretary, who is currently otherwise engaged with international diplomacy and unable to respond to your personally. He has asked that I stand in his place.

Thank you for your correspondence and similarly the sensitivity of this meeting has not gone unnoticed. I will ensure that I am present for this meeting in New York City and described and will await further information from the Diplomatic Security Service. The meeting will be attended by me personally in the company of my usual aides and a Special Envoy for International Affairs from the Department of the Economy.

Regards,
Lisa Lindström
Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Department of Foreign Affairs
Kingdom of Sweden

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TOP SECRET
Crown Copyright © Kingdom of Sweden
All information is encrypted and subject to the Swedish Document Classification and Security Act 1995​

Odinson ManBear

 

[Odinson]

Private​

The offices of Foreign Minister Kwiatkowski of Poland and Deputy Foreign Secretary Lindström were further given secure information from the Diplomatic Security Service. They were asked to fly into JFK International Airport in Queens. At the gate, the delegations were met by special agents from the DSS who took them to a private waiting area where their credentials were checked - this was done to avoid the foreign dignitaries having to go through normal Customs. From there, each delegation was escorted to a series of black, low-profile SUVs with government plates. The vehicles were driven by armed DSS agents dressed in suits. Both of the delegations, who each had their own vehicles, were driven from JFK to lower Manhattan. Once they were in lower Manhattan, the vehicles went to the St. Regis Hotel new Midtown. Lisa Lindström and Marek Kwiatkowski were both booked their own private suites in the luxurious hotel while the other members of the delegations had rooms in the hotel as well. Armed DSS agents were posted outside of their doors overnight, and plain clothes DSS agents were posted in the lobby with NYPD and the FBI having an obvious and discreet presence outside, respectively.

Staying the night would hopefully give the delegations some time to recover from their trip from Europe and partially get over jet lag. It would also give them an opportunity to prepare for the meeting the next evening in lower Manhattan. If the delegations wanted to travel outside of their hotel the next day, the DSS would escort them anywhere in the city, within reason.

That evening, the delegations were again loaded into unmarked black SUVs driven by the DSS. Once they were in lower Manhattan, the vehicles dropped off the delegations at a predesignated location next to the World Trade Center Plaza. There were several ways that the delegates could have been taken to the North Tower. The first, and most unusual, would have been by helicopter. The helipads on top of both of the towers were small and not commonly used since helicopter travel in lower Manhattan became more difficult after an incident in the 1970s. The second method would have been chartering a private subway car for the delegations to take underground to the tower. While this may have been the safest and easiest method, the State Department wanted to make an impression on the delegations with the meeting place. The third option was to drive to the towers. DSS wanted to park directly next to the North Tower on West Street and take them in, but the State Department modified the plan so that they would drop off the delegation off of Church Street have a short walk through the World Trade Center Plaza.

There was a heavy presence of DSS and Port Authority Police in the WTC Plaza, as well as on nearby streets by the NYPD. Luckily, civilian traffic was light since it was, by now, 7:20 in the evening. The sun would be setting in about forty minutes. The agents and police officers hovered around the delegations who were left to look up at they walked between two of the largest buildings on the planet - two twin, 110 story steel towers. If there was anything that was a symbol of the might of American enterprise and ingenuity, it was the World Trade Center.

After a few minutes of walking, the group made it inside of the lobby of the North Tower. Both of the delegations were escorted inside where they met a young man, dressed in a blue suit.

"Good evening, welcome to New York. My name is Gabriel Seraphin, I'm a member of Deputy Secretary Moss's staff. I will be escorting you the rest of the way to our meeting. I hope that your stay last night was comfortable," he said with a genuine smile.

Gabriel led all of the representatives from Sweden and Poland to the tower's express elevator, which could fit up to 55 normal-sized adults. WTC 1 and WTC 2 were some of the first skyscrapers in the world to use a series of local and express elevators, instead of a single set of elevators that stopped at every floor. When the towers were originally designed, a unique problem was simply the sheer size of the buildings and how many people would be working in them. Each tower accompanied about 25,000 workers, plus many more visitors, on a daily basis. A revolutionary design was made for the elevators which would accommodate large numbers of people in each elevator car, stop at "Skylobbys" where people could disembark and then board a local elevator to reach their floor in that section of the building. Critics said that it would be overcomplicated and that people wouldn't want to switch elevators - but it ended up working flawlessly.

After everyone was inside the express elevator, some of them might have seen that there were only four buttons: 1 LOBBY, 44 SKYLOBBY, 106 BALLROOM, 107 RESTAURANT. Gabriel pressed the 107 RESTAURANT button. The elevator doors closed and over the course of about two minutes, the elevator smoothly zoomed up from the lobby ground floor to the 107th floor of the North Tower. The doors of the elevator opened up to the tower's restaurant, called, "Windows on The World." There were also some associated bars and meeting spaces on that floor as well. The State Department had rented out the entire restaurant that evening, though the staff were still present. The free stay at the luxurious St. Regis combined with a private dining experience at the best-known restaurant in New York City started to seem unusually expensive, even for the Americans. This kind of treatment was usually reserved for a head of a state, if that.

There was smooth jazz playing in the restaurant. To make the place seem not totally empty, there were other officials from the State Department, the CIA, and the Treasury Department eating in the restaurant, but it would be pretty obvious to the delegations that those people were not random businessmen from lower Manhattan, but that they worked for the Federal Government. Regardless, the delegations and the American entourage had their own private table in an empty corner of the restaurant which Deputy Secretary Moss had chosen. It was a round table with booth seating on one side and chairs on the other. Psychologically, she was hoping that the round table would emphasize that all of the parties were equal. The Polish and Swedish delegates were welcome to sit in the booth seating so that they had a better view of the windows which looked out to New York City. The Empire State Building could be seen in the distance. The entire restaurant now had a relaxing orange hew to it as the sun began to set over the city.

"Welcome to New York," Deputy Secretary Grace Moss said as she approached Minister Kwiatkowski and Deputy Secretary Lindström. "I hope that the jetlag hasn't taken too much of a toll on all of you," she said with a smile. Moss was young for her position, she was 33 years old. She had straight, light brown hair, hazel eyes, and a thin figure. She was wearing a dark blue sheath dress that was appropriate for the occasion. She did not look physically intimidating, but she had a very innocent look which was very disarming. The Secretary of State had chosen her as his deputy specifically because of her charm and her intelligence.

"This is Bob Pinkman, he is the Under Secretary of The Treasury for International Affairs," she said. Pinkman also shook the hands of the assembled Polish and Swedish delegations. He was a balding man in his 50s and was wearing a large pair of glasses as well as a dark grey suit. It was quite clear that he was not a diplomat but was instead much more of a numbers man. Nevertheless, he was there to assist the Deputy Secretary however he could and enjoy a free dinner at the top of the world. Deputy Secretary Moss invited everyone to take their seats. The total party at the table would include: United States Deputy Secretary Grace Moss, Under Secretary Bob Pinkman, Swedish Deputy Secretary Lisa Lindström, her Special Envoy for International Affairs from the Department of the Economy, as well as Polish Foreign Minister Marek Kwiatkowski, his senior economic adviser from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Economy, and also an advisor from the Polish Office of State Protection.

A waiter came to take everyone's drink order. They were given menus and were able to order anything they liked. The high-end restaurant had a wide assortment of drinks and food available. In the meantime, the Americans made small talk with their guests until the food arrived.​

Connor ManBear

 

[ManBear]

New York City, New York - August, 2006

The tarmac at the famed JFK International Airport glistened in the warm August sun as the government-chartered plane taxied towards its private hangar. Foreign Minister Marek Kwiatkowski looked out of his window at the skyline before him, his breath lightly fogging the window with every breath his took. His fingertips rested gently on the armrest of the seat, poised, not tensed, yet aware of the magnitude of what was to come in the following days. Next to him, his senior economic advisor, Dr. Amadeusz Sobczak adjusted his tie as he glanced over the papers before him. No one had said much during the flight as they had all been prepared while still in Warsaw. They had taken the time to rest during the flight so they would be bright-eyed and bushy tailed for their arrival. The plane slowed to a halt and the men each took turns packing their briefcases and standing.

As the doors opened and they walked into gate terminal, they were met not with journalists and press but by figures in dark suits and earpieces. The famed U.S. Diplomatic Security Service. No passports. No customs. No delays. Just a quiet nod, a quick check of credentials, and the rapid rhythm of well rehearsed security. As they stepped into the 'fresh' air of Queens, they would all notice the understated convoy. Black SUVs. No flags or markings to identify them to the lay person. Inside, the DSS agents remained silent as the motorcade threaded its way through the evening traffic of New York City. Kwiatkowski looked out his window as the skyline emerged and knew full well that this was meant for more than convenience. It bestowed upon them a level of status that few would probably receive.

At the St. Regis Hotel, nestled in the grandeur of Midtown, the Poles were ushered into luxury. Gilded ceilings, polished marble, and a quiet opulence that reminded them of the castles and palaces back home. It also set the tone that the Americans considered this to be an important event. DSS Agents took up position outside doors and in the lobbies while NYPD cruisers and unmarked FBI vehicles were posted up outside the hotel providing a significant level of protection while probably also making many pedestrian wonder who had been housed at the prestigious hotel. That night the Poles were not treated as visiting dignitaries but near-heads of state.

The night passed quietly as the Polish delegating spent a significant portion of their time within the suite of Foreign Minister Kwiatkowski going over bullet points, pertinent information, and eating cheaply from the room service number. They were not here to rack up a significant bill for the U.S. Government but were here to foster cooperation and increased relations between the nations involved. Eventually jet lag won out in the battle with diligence and each member retired to their selective rooms for the following day's activities. Foreign Minister Kwiatkowski attempted to fight sleep a bit longer than everyone else but eventually the view of majestic towers lit by the pulsing life of New York City lulled him to the world of dreams.

The following day, they had decided to limit their outside exposure to better prepare themselves for that evening's events. Save for a request for the best Polish food in New York City. They would let their DSS agents pick the location and the Poles would pick up the tab. They would also request what precinct the uniformed Officers worked for to offer their thanks for their service via ordering a buffet of food for the precincts separate shifts to insure all of them were able to partake in the Polish thanks.

As the sun began its descent to the horizon, the motorcade would roll again. This time they were heading south into Lower Manhattan. The streets would shimmer in the golden hour as their SUVs would stop just shy of the World Trade Center Plaza. The Polish delegation would step out into the shadows of giants that symbolized America's ambition during the Cold War. The plaza sat mostly empty, save for the circling presence of DSS agents and Port Authority officers. Kwiatkowski walked slowly, surrounded by Americans and his own delegation but not constrained by either party. Inside they were met by a young American man who named himself Gabriel Seraphin, who's smile and precision hinted towards a culture of trained courtesy.

The Polish delegation watched the numbers rise until a soft ding signaled that they had arrived and when the doors opened they were met with the scenic overview of New York City from the Windows of the World. The restaurant was empty but very alive with intent. It was not dinner. It was a theater show. A message to those involved. Every detail and every choice whispered influence to the Polish delegation who had all been accustomed to the Soviet way of trying to impress everyone with grandeur.

Deputy Secretary Grace Moss greeted them with the poise and warmth of someone well verse in diplomatic courtesy. She was young, confident, and strategically disarming as she led the group to a circular table in a private corner of the restaurant. The Americans had already been seated throughout the restaurant. Each member of the Polish delegation would offer their names once they had been introduced to Bob Pinkman.

"Marek Kwiatkowski, Minister of Foreign Affairs." Marek's, a man of forty-five, voice and accent as he spoke English would hint towards someone from money who could afford English tutors. Upon his lapel sat a handcrafted lapel pin in the shape of a silver eagle clutching a golden crown and silver laurel branches(as opposed to the common sword or shield for the iconography). Small bright red rubies sat within the pin as the eyes for the eagle. Those within the Polish delegation would know it as he was going to give his best as he only wore it on important meetings and negotiations.

"Dr. Amadeusz Sobczak. Advisor from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Economy." A man of forty-seven, Dr Sobczak spoke like he was still in a classroom. Every word was enunciated clearly and he was sure of every word he said as if he had rehearsed it all within his head. In his hand he bore an ebony walking stick sporting a silver raven as the head. The wear on the finish would show that it had received a hard life but remained functional for the limping doctor. The last man to offer his hand spoke in Polish strictly.

"Piotr Zieliński. Urząd Ochrony Państwa." He was younger than the men he had accompanied to the United States by a decade. Thirty-four years old and still he held a senior advisor role within the Kingdom of Poland. His steel gray eyes were the most unremarkable, yet most remarkable, thing about Piotr. His eyes were the kind one would overlook in a crowd but a deeper inspection they would realize they had been read, measured, and filed away for the future.

Minister Kwiatkowski orders a glass of water while Dr. Sobzcak ordered a glass of red wine. Piotr whispered something to the Foreign Minister who translated it as a request for a draft beer if possible. Pepsi if it wasn't.

Odinson