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    "ocrText": "CONFIDENTIAL\n-2-\nUnder Secretary Richardson replied that it is just because\nSweden has typically taken a balanced and neutral view that we are\nespecially upset at what we consider the unbalanced Swedish position\nfavoring the other side in Viet-Nam.\nThe Ambassador said that he had heard the same remark from\nUnder Secretary Johnson and former Secretary Rusk. The Under\nSecretary commented that it was wonderful that the American system\nproduced such consistency of policy through a hard-fought campaign\nand a change of administration. De Besche remarked semi-humorously\nthat it depended on one's point of view.\nMr. Richardson said that perhaps in one area of interest to\nthe United States, involving American prisoners in North Viet-Nam,\nSweden's\nrelations with Hanoi could be useful. He\nasked his Special Assistant for prisoner of war matters, Mr. Sieverts,\nto explain.\nMr. Sieverts said that U.S. views deploring Swedish recognition\nof North Viet-Nam are well known to Sweden. We wanted however to\nexplore with the Ambassador the possibility that the new Swedish\nAmbassador to Peking and Hanoi might inquire about U.S. war prisoners\nin North Viet-Nam when he gets to Hanoi. Mr. Sieverts recalled that\nthe departing Swedish Ambassador to Peking, Lennart Petri, had some\ntime ago made such inquiries about our prisoners during a visit to\nHanoi.\nAmbassador de Besche said he recalled discussing this in the\npast with Ambassador Harriman and that Ambassador Petri had tried\nbut that nothing had come of his efforts. De Besche went on to\nsay that no Swedish Ambassador to North Viet-Nam had yet been\nappointed; negotiations were still going on. Minister Kollberg\ninterjected that it would probably be Ambassador Bjornberg, who\nis going soon to Peking, where he will reside.\nDe Besche asked how many prisoners there were. Mr. Sieverts\nsaid that over 800 have been shot down in North Viet-Nam, most of\nthem pilots. How many of them are prisoners, and which ones, is\nnot known. It would be most helpful if this information could be\nobtained. We are also concerned about the treatment of the\nprisoners, their mail and packages, and the possibility of\narranging visits by Red Cross or other impartial representatives.\nCONFIDENTIAL"
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