– The other favorite was Abba. He loved their music. And the third was Anna Lindh, he says, referring to the former Swedish foreign minister, who in 2003 was stabbed and killed in a department store in Stockholm.
Eliasson and Powell became good friends when Eliasson became Sweden’s ambassador to the United States shortly before Sweden took over the EU presidency in early 2001.
It was at this time that George W. Bush took office as President, and Colin Powell was appointed Secretary of State. This meant that Eliasson in several cases represented the EU in Washington during Powell’s first time as minister.
The two became good friends and were seen in private.
– Together with his family, he took me and my wife in to see the Abba musical “Mamma Mia”.
According to Jan Eliasson, they had a close relationship and a deep intimacy. They talked about both the joys and sorrows of life.
So when Anna Lindh was killed in 2003, Powell sought solace at the embassy, according to the Swedish diplomat.
– He came to me at the embassy, and just sat and talked about Anna, and how much he missed her, says Jan Eliasson.
Republican Colin Powell and Swedish Social Democrat Anna Lindh were foreign ministers at the same time and became close friends.
According to Eliasson, Powell was also a big fan of the Swedish car brand Volvo. So when he went to the EU summit in Gothenburg in June 2001, he left the meeting as soon as possible to visit the Volvo factory with Anna Lindh.
– He was an impressive person with great integrity and warmth, says Jan Eliasson.
Source: The Nordic Page