Defence chief to resign

Press, 7 February 1985, Page 10

Defence chief to resign

NZPA-Reuter Storlien

The Swedish Defence Minister, Mr Anders Thunborg, said yesterday that he would resign in September because of reports that.he had been infuriated by disparaging remarks about the military made by the Foreign Minister. But Mr Thunborg said that he had decided to resign after the General Election on September 15 before the row over his cabinet colleague’s comments. The Foreign Minister, Mr Lennart Bodstroem, told journalists last week that he did not believe military reports about submarine intrusions or that the Soviet Union had had a part of it. Later he said that he had been misinterpreted.

Senior Swedish officers said that Mr Bodstroem’s remarks casting doubt on military reports of foreign

submarine violations had damaged Sweden’s international standing.

Sweden’s Armed Forces Chief, General Lennart Ljung, said he regretted his Minister’s departure, emphasising that he had always shown great understanding for the military’s problems. General Ljung told reporters earlier that he had decided against resigning after Mr Thunborg had assured him that Mr Bodstroem’s comments did not reflect Government thinking.

As Defence Minister, Mr Thunborg has closely identified himself with the military leadership, backing demands for extra funds to improve anti-submarine defences and approving a 1983 report that accused the Soviet navy of systematically violating Swedish waters.