File spoon-archives/marxism-general.archive/marxism-general_1997/marxism-general.9705, message 84


Date: Tue, 27 May 1997 11:56:59 +0200 (MET DST)
To: marxism-general-AT-jefferson.village.Virginia.EDU
From: rolf.martens-AT-mailbox.swipnet.se (Rolf Martens)
Subject: M-G: UNITE! Info #34en: 3/3 US trickery on Barsebäck  


UNITE! Info #34en: 3/3 US trickery on Barseb=E4ck 
[Posted: 27.05.97]

[Continued from part 2/3]


5. A SEEMINGLY STRANGE ARTICLE IN THE
   WASHINGTON POST ON 25.11.1994

In 1994, there in Sweden were some rather weak but significant
moves in certain bourgeois circles to get out of the economically
of course extremely damaging straightjacket that the above-
mentioned stoneage laws against nuclear energy were imposing.
There was also stronger and stronger, even if quite unorganised
and thus mainly unexpressed, pressure in that direction from the
great majority of people here.

On 13.10.1994, for instance, the director of the International
Atomic Energy Agency, who happened to be a Swede, Hans Blix, in a
speech in Stockholm (which - rather "naturally" - was not reported
on in any of the media) i.a. said that "if another referendum is
required to save our nuclear-energy programme, then let us take this".

Another referendum? Then this "might have to" be a genuine one; it
wouldn't be possible to pull anything nearly like the fantastic stunt
of 1980 once more in this country. But this then would result in an
overwhelming "yes" to nuclear energy, which, as those in power
well know, has always been the opinion of the Swedish people,
and in later years even stronger than before. If it's one thing that
the main, ultra-reactionary, ruling bourgeois forces here and
abroad are dead set against, that's precisely a *genuine*
referendum on this question.

It no doubt were these moves in Sweden that occasioned the
otherwise rather inexplicable, very curious, cock-and-bull story
that filled the first page, and several others, of the semi-govern-
mental US newspaper the Washington Post on 25.11.1994. Its headline
was: "Neutral Sweden Quietly Keeps Nuclear Option Open".

Reading that headline, you wouldn't really immediately under-
stand what "nuclear option" was being referred to, whether one
of (extended) peaceful use, i.e. building some more power
plants, or one of making bombs - even if the word "neutral" of
course did give a hint. In reality, as the circumstances clearly
shows, the article *was* intended to give the message, quite
publicly this time, to the Swedish politicians: "Don't you dare
abrogate those anti-nuclear-energy laws in your small country,
for instance as a result of any real referendum, or else....". Pur-
portedly, it was about a supposed suspicion that Sweden -
that not only "friendly" but also very "docile" country, on these
questions - was actually holding open a nuclear-weapons
production option.

Back In the late 50s, in a quite different situation in the world,
there actually had been a certain discussion about such a
possibility here. It rather quickly died out, after some grumpy
reactions from both of the biggest powers at the time, the USA
and the (of course neighbouring) Soviet Union. Since many
years back today, no Swedish bourgeois politician would as
much as dream of challenging the "Gods and Jesuses" of this
planet by making the sligthtest move in the direction of an
independent nuclear-weapons force similar to the French.

Completely ridiculously, as all well knew, the WP article for
"evidence" of its "suspicion" referred to the old and small, since
more than 20 years back shut-down and today completely inoperable
=C5gesta heavy-water reactor which had in the 60s and early 70s
supplied the Stockholmers with some amounts of appreciatedly
environmental-friendly heat and electricity.

In the issue of the Dagens Nyheter the next day, it was reported
that the Swedish government was preparing a statement on
account of that article in the influential US paper, but eventually,
silence was preferred on the matter. However, altough factually,
the WP article had been a seemingly surprising piece of idiocy,
it politically of course, precisely therefore too, constituted a very
demonstrative piece of pressure on the rulers of this country.

*That* - indirect - statement of 1994, and not the recent, later also
"retracted" one by the ambassador, shows the *real* wishes and
intents of those in power in the USA concerning nuclear energy
here in Sweden.


UNITE! / VEREINIGT EUCH! / UNISSEZ-VOUS! / =A1UNIOS! /
F=D6RENA ER! Info en/de/fr/es/se series:

Advocates the political line of Marx, Lenin and Mao Zedong.
Each item # will be posted in one or more language(s).
Leaflets in the INFORMATIONSBLAD series published by
me, mainly in Swedish, since 1975 are available on request.

Bef=FCrwortet die politische Linie von Marx, Lenin und Mao
Zedong. Jedes Nummer # wird in einer oder mehreren
Sprache(n) gesandt werden. Flugbl=E4tter der Reihe
INFORMATIONSBLAD, von mir haupts=E4chlich in Schwedisch
seit 1975 ver=F6ffentlicht, sind auf Anfrage erhaltlich.

Avocate de la ligne politique de Marx, Lénine et Mao Zedong.
Chaque numéro # sera envoyé en une ou plusieurs langue(s).
Volantes de la série INFORMATIONSBLAD, publiée par moi
principalement en suédois depuis 1975, sont accessibles sur
demande. 

Partidaria de la l=EDnea pol=EDtica de Marx, Lenin y Mao Zedong.
Cado n=FAmero # sera enviado en una o varias lengua(s).
Se pueden conseguir a la demanda volantes de la serie
INFORMATIONSBLAD, publicada por me principalmente
en sueco desde 1975.

F=F6respr=E5kar Marx', Lenins och Mao Zedongs politiska linje.
Varje nummer # kommer att s=E4ndas p=E5 ett eller flera spr=E5k.
Flygblad i serien INFORMATIONSBLAD, publicerad av mig
huvudsakligen p=E5 svenska sedan 1975, kan f=E5s p=E5 beg=E4ran. 

Postal address:
Rolf Martens
Nobelvaegen 38
S - 214 33 Malmoe
SWEDEN
Tel: +46 - 40 - 124832




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