TELIASONERA, FINLAND AND SWEDEN HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT OUR EARNINGS
Wednesday, June 16th, 2010Our Sonera US team gave our Nordic partners our best efforts and great results. We gave them gains exceeding $1.5 billion dollars. Our Nordic partners seized our 3% share of those gains. Finland and Sweden approved those seizures.
TeliaSonera, Sweden and Finland have a duty and obligation to protect our team’s interests, earnings, and assets. We point to the following agreements, treaties, guidelines and policy statements to support our point of view.
- The Swedish Instrument of Government, Chapter 2, Article 18– “The property of every citizen shall be so guaranteed that none may be compelled by expropriation or other such disposition to surrender property to the public institutions or to a private subject …”
- The Finland-US Friendship, Commerce and Consular Rights Treaty of 1934–“In no case shall [nationals of Finland and the United States] be accorded less favorable treatment in respect of [commercial] matters than nationals of the most favored nation.” “ Their property shall not be taken without due process of law and without payment of just compensation.”
- The General Agreement on Trade in Services (Uruguay Round), Article II-Most Favored Nation Treatment—“With respect to any measure covered by this Agreement, each Member shall accord immediately and unconditionally to services and service suppliers of any other Member treatment no less favourable than that it accords to like services and service suppliers of any other country.”
- OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.–Companies should “Observe standards of employment and industrial relations [including compensation and working time arrangements] not less favorable than those observed by employers in the host country [in this case, the United States].”
- TeliaSonera’s Code of Ethics requires that all employees and Directors:
- “Do the right thing. “Treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves.”
- “None of us should ever lie, cheat, trick, misuse, mislead, or do anything that can be perceived as any of these.”
- “Don’t take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, misuse of information, misrepresentation of facts, or any other unfair or dishonest way of acting.”
- “Being truthful, trustworthy, honest, open, candid, and considerate are the right things to do.”
- “And when things still go wrong – because sometimes they do, for all of us – stand up and admit it. In this way, you will earn respect and we can all help fix the problem.”
We carved out great value for all stakeholders. TeliaSonera, Sweden and Finland all seek to hold on to our small 3% share of that value. TeliaSonera, Sweden and Finland refuse to meet their international obligations. TeliaSonera is not walking its talk.
Who is Greedy? The Sonera US team that created great value or Nordic leaders who want 100% of that value?
If you think Nordic leaders are not trustworthy, fire them. Stop buying goods from Sweden and Finland.