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### Viewing cable 09REYKJAVIK68, ICELANDIC INTERIM MINISTER OF FINANCE AND FISHERIES

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09REYKJAVIK68 | 2009-04-07 18:06 | 2011-01-13 05:05 | CONFIDENTIAL | Embassy Reykjavik

`

    VZCZCXRO1877
    OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV RUEHSR
    DE RUEHRK #0068/01 0971805
    ZNY CCCCC ZZH
    O 071805Z APR 09
    FM AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4040
    INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
    RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
    RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

` `

    C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 REYKJAVIK 000068

    SIPDIS

    State for EUR/NB and OES/OA
    Commerce for NMFS WHogarth
    Treasury for Eric Meyer and Larry Norton

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2019
    TAGS: ECON EFIN SENV EFIS PGOV IC
    SUBJECT: ICELANDIC INTERIM MINISTER OF FINANCE AND FISHERIES
    CONFIDENT ON IMF PROGRESS AND ICESAVE NEGOTIATIONS

    Classified By: Ambassador Carol van Voorst for reasons 1.4 (b) and
    (d).

    ¶1. (C) Summary: During the Ambassador's farewell call, a tired
    looking and clearly over-worked Steingrimur J. Sigfusson was
    confident about the upcoming elections, happy with the progress with
    the IMF, and encouraged by Iceland's negotiating position with the
    IceSave accounts.  Sigfusson's roles as Minister of Finance, Minister
    of Fisheries and Agriculture, Deputy Prime Minister, and Leader of
    the Left Green Party generated an expansive and wide ranging
    conversation.  If his party participates in the new government,
    Sigfusson said that progress with IMF will continue on the new Letter
    of Intent, Iceland will press harder for favorable loan terms from
    the U.K. and the Netherlands on IceSave, and the commercial whaling
    quotas will be reduced in the future.  Sigfusson also said he was
    considering seeking bilateral loans from the U.S. and Canada (the
    Ambassador explained why he should not look to the U.S.) and believes
    that Iceland is unlikely to seek E.U. membership any time soon.  End
    Summary.

    ¶2. (C) During the April 7 office call, Sigfusson confessed to the
    Ambassador that he is extremely busy in his multiple roles of
    Minister of Finance, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Head of
    the Left Green Party and Deputy Prime Minister.  He said that he
    would be surprised if there were any big changes in the polls in the
    last few weeks before elections, and barring some significant event,
    he expected the interim government to return to office.

    ¶3. (C) Sigfusson admitted that he was never a proponent of an
    International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan for Iceland and felt that a
    better option would have been to seek a Nordic-EFTA package of loans.
     Sigfusson said he put a lot of work into that idea in November
    (while he was in opposition) but was stymied by the former
    government.  He commented that a recent rise in public sentiment to
    abandon the IMF obligations is being fueled "by the news from
    Latvia."  However, as a minister, he recognized that it is very
    important that the IMF program continue and he emphasized that the
    IMF representatives he has met have been professional and helpful.
    He said work was being finalized now with IMF in Washington on a new
    agreement to be completed soon after Easter, which will then be
    presented to the IMF Board for consideration.  Sigfusson said Iceland
    has missed the annual meeting deadline but hopes the board will meet
    in early May.

    ¶4. (C) On IceSave, Sigfusson felt the recent U.K. Parliamentary
    report which criticized the U.K. government use of terrorism finance
    laws against Iceland and Icelandic banks in October 2008 puts Iceland
    in a stronger negotiating position.  Sigfusson said the report was
    harsh, and to his mind depicts Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair
    Darling as lying about why the terrorism act had to be invoked.
    Sigfusson cited the recent meeting between Foreign Minister Ossur
    Skarphedinsson and British Secretary David Miliband and his own
    recent correspondence with Dutch authorities as helpful in keeping
    communications open.  He said that the Icelanders are also giving the
    U.K. and the Netherlands updated information on the overall debt
    situation, which looks worse than it did in October/November.  He
    said at that time the IMF predicted debt as 160 to 170 percent of
    GDP, but those figures have now been revised to 200 to 225 percent of
    GDP.  Sigfusson said the Icelandic people "are prepared to honor
    their obligations," but to pay for the aggressive and speculative
    "behavior abroad is unjust and unfair."  Sigufsson stressed that the
    terms of the loans to cover the IceSave minimum deposits are
    essential -- it's very important that Iceland receive low rates with
    a long grace period.

    ¶5. (C) On whaling, Sigfusson reiterated that his hands were legally
    tied by the decision of his predecessor and that he has made it known
    that if the interim government returns after the election, it will
    work to undo future commercial whaling.  Sigfusson confirmed he had
    received the letter from Whole Foods grocery store, warning that it
    will find substitutes for Icelandic products if whaling continues,
    but did not seem to take it seriously.  He admitted that he had
    received a stack of similar letters but hadn't read them all.  The
    impression he left was that he is looking forward to handing the
    Fisheries portfolio to someone else in the next government.

    ¶6. (C) Sigfusson said he wants greater cooperation with the U.S.  He
    especially wants to talk with the U.S. and Canadian governments about
    bilateral loans to Iceland.  The Ambassador clarified the lack of a
    mechanism or legislative authority in the U.S. for such loans to
    advanced nations.  He commented that the loan Russia promised would
    probably not happen because the Russians have not shown much real
    interest and are seeking additional information from Iceland.
    Sigfusson, who is an opponent of joining the E.U., gamed out for us
    that regardless of who wins the parliamentary elections, the Althingi
    is likely to be largely anti-Icelandic accession to the E.U.  He

    REYKJAVIK 00000068  002 OF 002

    remarked that the Independence Party copied his party's platform and
    they too are not pro-EU but would let the public decide the issue in
    a public referendum if it came to that stage.  He thinks EU accession
    is doubtful in the near future.

    van Voorst

`