{"record":{"aliases":[],"appointmentIds":["sweden-27486b57b12211"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":[],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/leif-leifland-4df829bfad/","countrySlug":"sweden","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/leif-leifland-4df829bfad/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Leif Leifland headed the Swedish embassy in Washington as acting chargé d'affaires in 1973–1974. The period lay between the departure of Hubert de Bèsche and the arrival of Wilhelm Wachtmeister, when disagreement over the Vietnam War had interrupted representation by ambassadors.","On 10 May 1974 Leifland signed an amendment to the Swedish–American agreement on civilian uses of atomic energy. It revised provisions for uranium enrichment and reactor fuel supply. In an accompanying exchange of notes, he confirmed understandings on allocations and prices for Sweden's reactor program.","After Washington, Leifland headed the foreign ministry's political department, became cabinet secretary in 1977, and served as ambassador in London from 1982 to 1991. He also wrote works of contemporary diplomatic history."],"id":"sweden:leif-leifland","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-4df829bfad258619953d.html","name":"Leif Leifland","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["src-918d243ff9b509b3","src-340baa549e534619"],["src-a83ffb06a14a88ed"],["src-918d243ff9b509b3"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-4df829bfad258619953d.html","relatedEvents":[{"basis":"named-in-story","country":"Sweden","date":"1972-12-23","description":"Olof Palme condemns the U.S. bombing of Hanoi in a Christmas statement. Washington delays the arrival of Sweden’s newly appointed ambassador, Yngve Möller, who never takes office. Chargé Leif Leifland subsequently leads the mission; formal diplomatic relations remain intact.","id":"palme-1972","note":"Möller was a designate who never took up the post; de Bèsche was outgoing ambassador, and Leifland led the mission during the 1973–1974 interruption described.","sourceUrls":["https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-93hhrg89849/pdf/CHRG-93hhrg89849.pdf"],"title":"A Christmas diplomatic chill","url":"Sweden.html#history-palme-1972"}],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-28","revision":"8d11cc47b6450a09","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"src-918d243ff9b509b3","locator":"Publicly accessible biographical excerpt","publisher":"Nationalencyklopedin","title":"Leif Leifland","type":"reference","url":"https://www.ne.se/uppslagsverk/skola/avancerad/leif-leifland"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"src-340baa549e534619","locator":"Section 8, pp. 34–37 (PDF pp. 36–39)","publisher":"District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office","title":"Swedish Ambassador’s Residence: National Register nomination","type":"institutional-history","url":"https://planning.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/op/publication/attachments/Swedish%20Ambassador%27s%20Residence%20Nomination_web.pdf"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"1974-05-10","id":"src-a83ffb06a14a88ed","locator":"Signature and exchange of notes, PDF pp. 5–7","publisher":"Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs","title":"SÖ 1974:26: Amendment concerning civil uses of atomic energy","type":"primary-record","url":"https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/818b90f9f2224d1aae862bf91029e9c5/tillaggsoverenskommelse-till-overenskommelsen-med-amerikas-forenta-stater-den-28-juli-1966-om-samarbete-rorande-atomenergins-anvandning-for-civila-andamal-so-1974_26.pdf"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"Accessed 25 October 2026","id":"mission-4cd3ff7b32542b5d08eb","locator":"Biographical or archival source consulted for the linked appointment. Date precision is preserved. Some archival viewers yielded only a catalogue record; the research ledger records access limits.","publisher":"","title":"Biographical record — sok. riksarkivet. se, record 17","type":"Mission record","url":"https://sok.riksarkivet.se/nad?postid=Arkis%20866b58ae-36f3-4389-9ec1-8e82a7b300fd"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"Accessed 25 October 2026","id":"mission-103b3e7eae0dda0bc833","locator":"Secondary cross-check of incoming ministers, chargés and ambassadors. Original biographical entries are separately linked below. Exact appointments are not silently converted to credential dates; acting intervals are not exhaustive.","publisher":"","title":"Incoming Swedish representatives in Washington — chronology and original-source leads","type":"Mission record","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ambassadors_of_Sweden_to_the_United_States"}],"topics":["Civil nuclear cooperation","Vietnam War","Foreign ministry leadership"]},"schemaVersion":1}