It is necessary for a thorough public discussion before the DCA agreement on defense cooperation between the US and Sweden is approved by the Riksdag. This is according to Hans Blix, among others, former Foreign Minister and IAEA chief, in a debate article in Svenska Dagbladet.
The proposal for the agreement "contains far-reaching and 10-year commitments affecting the country's sovereignty and security but has not been the subject of any general discussion, or attention from parties or media", writes Blix. He notes that it differs from when the so-called host country agreement with NATO was approved.
In the DCA agreement, the conditions for US military presence in Sweden are regulated, including access to Swedish territory and the right to use certain facilities and areas of the Defense Forces. Blix poses a number of questions around this:
"Can the stationing of heavy American bomber aircraft, for example, take place at Luleå's airbase without prior Swedish approval? Does the agreement give the US the right to set up missile batteries near the base at Visby on Gotland without special and explicit approval from Sweden's government?"
According to the plan, the Riksdag is scheduled to make a decision on the agreement and amendments on June 18. Blix believes that "it would be wise for the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riksdag to deliberate on the proposal for the DCA agreement".
