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CONTEMPORARY SWEDISH SECURITY POLICY: NORDIC CONTEXT
Abstract
The paper presents different views of the threats posed to Swedish security as well as diverging stances on further development of the state's defense and security policy within the context of the recent heated debates among the Swedish political elite. Particular attention is paid to the current direction of the Stockholm's security policy that represents a non-alignment strategy in combination with close collaboration within the frameworks of NATO and is highly unlikely to be changed after the forthcoming parliamentary elections which can be regarded to as the result of a coalition compromise. It is stated that dramatic political shift that might provoke a significant improvement of the Swedish defense capabilities as well as the country's accession to the North Atlantic Alliance are not to be expected either. It is pointed out that one of the key pillars of Swedish security policy in the Nordic region remains to be the Nordic cooperation of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The Nordic countries consider it to be an upward trend in strengthening their international and regional influence in front of multipolar world challenges. It is pointed out that the new Swedish government that will be in power after the parliamentary elections in September, 2014 will certainly lay a special emphasis on the necessity to maintain the non-aligned status and keep on collaborating with NATO in the frameworks of military exercises and joint operations. A political rapprochement between Sweden and Finland is also expected to be established. Conflict prevention and the establishment of the civilian CSDP operations will be top-priority issues for the new Swedish government in its relationships with the EU. Sweden is also expected to give a new lease of life to its UN membership either in political terms with ambitions to become the UN Security Council non-permanent member for 2017-2018 and in military ones related to stronger participation in peacekeeping.
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References12
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