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### Viewing cable 06REYKJAVIK210, Iceland Appoints First Female Foreign Minister;

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06REYKJAVIK210 | 2006-06-13 07:07 | 2011-01-13 05:05 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Reykjavik

`

    VZCZCXYZ0001
    OO RUEHWEB

    DE RUEHRK #0210/01 1640747
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    O 130747Z JUN 06
    FM AMEMBASSY REYKJAVIK
    TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2824

` `

    UNCLAS REYKJAVIK 000210

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR IC
    SUBJECT:  Iceland Appoints First Female Foreign Minister;
    Incoming PM Geir Haarde Will Continue to Lead Defense Talks

    REF:  Reykjavik 196

    ¶1. (U) Summary:  Outgoing PM Asgrimsson and incoming PM
    Haarde announced 6/10 results of their talks regarding a new
    Icelandic cabinet to take office 6/15: current Minister of
    Industry and Commerce Valgerdur Sverrisdottir, an
    international relations neophyte, will become Foreign
    Minister. Haarde will, however, continue as Iceland's
    highest official conducting defense negotiations with the
    U.S. Both Haarde and Sverrisdottir will meet with the NATO
    Secretary General during the latter's planned 6/15 visit to

    SIPDIS
    Iceland.  End summary.

    -----------------------
    We have the envelope...
    -----------------------
    ¶2. (U) The leaders of Iceland's Independence Party (IP) and
    Progressive Party (PP) coalition government announced June
    10 their decisions regarding a cabinet reshuffle.  Prime
    Minister Halldor Asgrimsson's and Foreign Minister Geir
    Haarde joint statement culminated a week of intense intra-
    governmental lobbying and media and civil service
    speculation about potential fall-out from Asgrimsson's June
    5 resignation announcement (reftel).  On June 15 FM Haarde
    will become the new Prime Minister, while Valgerdur
    Sverrisdottir (PP) will become the Republic's first female
    Minister for Foreign Affairs.  The IP gives up one
    ministerial seat -- the Ministry for the Environment -- to
    the PP, thus reverting to the original coalition agreement
    forged after 2003 parliamentary elections regarding equal
    division of ministries between the two parties.

    ----------------------
    And the winners are...
    ----------------------
    ¶3. (U) As of June 15 the Icelandic Ministerial line-up will
    be as follows:

    Prime Minister--Geir H. Haarde (IP)
    Foreign Minister-- Valgerdur Sverrisdottir (PP)
    Minister of Finance--Arni M. Mathiesen (IP)
    Minister of Justice--Bjorn Bjarnason (IP)
    Minister of Agriculture--Gudni Agustsson (PP)
    Minister of Communications--Sturla Bodvarsson (IP)
    Minister of Fisheries--Einar Kristinn Gudfinnson (IP)
    Minister for the Environment and Nordic Cooperation-Jonina
    Bjartmarz (PP and first-time minister)
    Minister of Industry and Commerce--Jon Sigurdsson (PP and
    first-time minister)
    Minister of Health and Social Security--Siv Fridleifsdottir
    (PP)
    Minister of Social Affairs--Magnus Stefansson (PP and first-
    time minister)
    Minister of Education, Science and Culture--Thorgerdur
    Katrin Gunnarsdottir (IP)

    ¶4. (SBU) Sverrisdottir has been a member of parliament since
    1987 (and alternate member 1984-1987); and Minister of
    Industry and Commerce since 1999, as well as Minister for
    Nordic Co-operation 2004-2005. As Minister she has been a
    tireless advocate for Iceland's increased industrialization.
    Among government bureaucrats she has established a solid
    reputation for being serious, hardworking, competent, and
    committed to the government's highly successful economic
    liberalization process.

    ¶5. (U) In the face of vocal opposition from
    environmentalists Sverrisdottir has strongly backed efforts
    by Alcoa and Century Aluminum of the U.S. to establish and
    expand their production facilities in Iceland. Her strong
    advocacy for the aluminum projects has slowly eroded her
    popularity, and in a recent Gallup poll she ranked only
    seventh of the 12 ministers in popularity. Protesters at a
    march organized by environmentalists for municipal election
    day, May 27, carried signs that read, "Drown Valgerdur - Not
    the Highlands."  Sverrisdottir later filed a police
    complaint alleging that the slogans amounted to an
    incitement of violence against herself and her three
    daughters.

    ¶6.  (SBU) As Minister of Industry and Commerce Sverrisdottir
    dabbled little in foreign affairs - and aside from language
    studies she has no relevant academic background for the job.
    She speaks halting, though passable, English.  Perhaps
    because she lacks confidence as a diplomat, or perhaps as
    part of an inter-party deal that won her the prestigious
    post, Sverrisdottir announced June 11 that she would leave
    defense negotiations to Haarde.  She also disavowed any
    interest in the PP chairmanship.

    --------------
    NATO SYG Visit
    --------------

    ¶7. (SBU) NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer is
    scheduled to meet June 15 with high-level Icelandic
    officials, to include Sverrisdottir and Haarde.  While
    Sverrisdottir will presumably have her hands full just
    coming to grips with an unfamiliar portfolio, Haarde will
    doubtless use the meeting to press for Alliance support for
    a "robust and visible" defense for Iceland.

    ¶8. (SBU) Comment:  The choice of Sverrisdottir, while
    unforeseen by pundits (who favored IP stalwarts more
    experienced in foreign affairs), is win-win-win for the
    Progressives:

    -- They will control the country's second most powerful
    ministry and the patronage that comes with it (not
    insignificant for a party struggling to hold on to
    membership).

    -- By making the argument that continuity is important, they
    leave the loser (as it now appears from a GOI perspective)
    defense portfolio to Haarde and the IP.

    -- After an era in which Asgrimsson was seen as promoting
    loyal young men over more qualified women, the PP will now
    get the credit for finally breaking through the socially
    conservative MFA's glass ceiling.

    In terms of U.S. interests, this appointment is also a boon,
    as in her performance at Commerce and Industry Sverrisdottir
    has demonstrated sympathy for U.S.-Icelandic business
    interests and vision in advancing them.  End comment.

    van Voorst

`