Sweden: a neutral state committed to peacekeeping

While in Stockholm for a weekend, a visit to the Nobel museum in the old city seemed to us to be an essential stopover. This one questioned us, and led us to question the position adopted by Sweden in international relations.

Swedish peace diplomacy

Stockholm, Thursday 13 December 2018. A round of peace negotiations concerning the situation in Yemen is coming to an end. The Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, one of the coalition countries, then stated that "Sweden offered a decisive opportunity to successfully engage in a political solution. " This Scandinavian state has a strong international commitment to peacekeeping. It also meets United Nations criteria for this function. To be so, a State must not be a member of the Security Council or come from the region where the conflict is taking place. In addition, in the event of complications during negotiations, the State must be able to provide military units to peacefully defuse the conflict.

(https://www.la-croix.com/Monde/Yemen-gouvernement-rebelles-tentent-renouer-dialogue-Suede-2018-12-06-1300987815)

Negotiations on the conflict in Yemen, December 2018 in Stockholm

Meeting all these requirements, Sweden declares itself "neutral", and has consistently reaffirmed this strategic position over the past two centuries. The country has not been a warring party since 1814, and was one of the so-called "neutral" states during the two world wars. In the post-war bipolar world, the Swedish state chooses to pursue a policy of non-participation in peacetime alliances, aiming at neutrality in the event of war. However, at the end of the Second World War, Sweden turned to its Scandinavian neighbours in an attempt to establish a Defence Union. Its main motivation is to protect the interests of small states in order to limit the risk of abuse by the two major powers. However, the project failed because Finland was very dependent on its Soviet neighbour. In addition, Norway and Denmark preferred to turn to NATO. Unike its neighbours, Sweden decides not to join the Atlantic Alliance. Subsequently, the government still signs a Partnership for Peace with NATO. However, Sweden's neutrality is not mentioned in international treaties or in its own Constitution.

Combined with cultural diplomacy....

In addition to active participation in peacekeeping processes, Sweden is also involved in cultural diplomacy. Defined by Joseph Nye, cultural diplomacy reflects the decline of the dominant role of the State in the diplomatic field to the benefit of culture. First given in 1901, the Nobel Prize is awarded to individuals "who have brought the greatest benefit to humanity. " It was created thanks to the huge fortune of Alfred Nobel, a Swedish chemist known for inventing dynamite. Originally, Nobel Prizes were awarded in the fields of medicine, chemistry, literature and peace. In 1968, with the participation of the Bank of Sweden, the "Nobel Prize for Economics" was created. Through the Nobel Prize, Sweden promotes a democratic model in which human rights are respected: a peaceful world from a Western perspective, where diplomacy triumphs over violence and conflict. It is in reaction to this form of ethnocentrism that the Confucius Prize was born, determined to promote the Eastern vision of a peaceful world.

(http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20161011-prix-nobel-litterature-2016-soyinka-ngugi-toni-morrison-etats-unis-bookmakers)

Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony

... Who acts like a soft power

Sweden uses these awards for diplomatic purposes. Indeed, the latter are a means for the country to show activism towards other States. In response, the countries concerned may defied the award of a prize. Thus, Sweden is managing to identify individuals who may be exposed to the violence of their state. On 18 January 2010, Liu Xiaobo, a Chinese human rights activist, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is particularly known for mediating between the army and students during the Tian'anmen Square demonstrations in 1989 and for criticising the authoritarian Chinese regime. Upon his appointment, the Chinese authorities categorically refused to allow him to attend the ceremony. That is why the Nobel Committee decided to leave an empty chair to challenge the Chinese government's decision.

(https://www.parismatch.com/Actu/International/Liu-Xiaobo-Le-nobel-pour-une-chaise-vide-146510)

Empty chair in honour of Liu Xiaobo, 2010

In short, Sweden is decided to assert itself as a neutral country ready to engage in peacekeeping processes through a variety of instruments, including cultural diplomacy.

References :

• Kumlin, Ragnar. « La politique de non-alliance, fondement de la diplomatie suédoise ». Le Monde diplomatique, 1 mars 1961, https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/1961/03/KUMLIN/24129.

• Laroche, Josepha. « Le Nobel comme enjeu symbolique dans les relations internationales ». Revue française de science politique, vol. 44, no 4, 1994, p. 599‑628. www.persee.fr

• « Le Nobel comme enjeu symbolique dans les relations internationales ». Revue française de science politique, vol. 44, no 4, 1994, p. 599‑628. www.persee.fr

• « The Nobel Peace Prize 2010 ». NobelPrize.Org, https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2010/xiaobo/facts/.

• Touren, Dimitri. « Prix Confucius : un nouvel instrument pour une diplomatie culturelle chinoise ». Le Journal International - Archives,https://www.lejournalinternational.fr/Prix-Confucius-un-nouvel-instrument-pour-une-diplomatie-culturelle-chinoise_a3428.html.