Russia and Norway

Cooperation in the North continues, but consequences of the conflicts are primarily noticeable on the political level and in military cooperation.

– I think the notion of “Arctic exceptionalism”, in that Arctic cooperation is isolated from conflict spill over from other regions is being challenged, but that it still holds, says fellow Tom Røseth at Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies, to High North News.

Most cooperation is affected

-Most Arctic cooperation is affected in some way or another, although the degree varies significantly. On one side, you have the same decision makers on the top in charge of a broad foreign- and security spectrum including Arctic policies, and these are not unaffected by the consequences of the Russia-West conflict over Ukraine, Røseth continues.

-On the other hand, solid institutions and bilateral networks are established, designed to handle political shifting winds, as was the case during the Cold War.

Røseths general impression is that although some work is affected and focus adjusted, such as in the Arctic Council case, cooperation continues. Consequences are primarily noticeable on the political level and in military cooperation.

Business as usual – almost

-But, he says, -further down to the individual and more practical issues, pragmatism and business as usual more or less prevail. We should keep in mind that it is in all the Arctic states’ interest that the Arctic remains calm and stable, and the many challenges in the region require common solutions.

Russia, in addition to Norway, has the most to lose from a militarization of the Arctic where commercial, environmental and security cooperation becomes unattainable. With the accession of Asian states as permanent observers in 2013, the Arctic is truly internationalized, and herein lies an expectation and obligation upon the Arctic states to manage the region responsibly and peacefully. A potential spillover to the Arctic instigated by Russia is not likely, as it would counter its strong regional interests, which are vested in a legitimate Arctic regime, prospecting economic opportunities and aspirations for a strategic trade route, Røseth says.

Less trust and goodwill

Senior research fellow at NUPI, Elana Wilson Rowe, agrees when it comes to the effect on a military level. She is, as many others, preoccupied by the effect on the weakening, or lack, of trust that the worsened geopolitical climate are creating.

-Apart from high-level military cooperation, like the CHOD meetings (Arctic Chiefs of Defence Staff), Arctic multilateral cooperation seems to go on well. By and large, the Arctic Council cooperation has been buffered from geopolitical tensions. However, although there still may be a lot of trust around the table amongst the diplomats and civil servants who are used to meeting each other regularly, there is certainly much less trust and goodwill between home capitols, Wilson Rowe points out.

“Cooperation? I think not”

-That is one of the key policy environments these individuals have to navigate, they might meet another reality when the return to their home capitols. It’s also difficult to know, even as regular cooperation continues, what more ambitious or groundbreaking policy efforts have had to be put on ice (for example, like the 2011 and 2013 binding agreements). Discussing revitalization of the Arctic Council at 20 years, what needs to change may be challenging, thinks Elana Wilson Rowe.

-But then they turn up in Washington, or Moscow, with plans, and might meet a reaction like; do we cooperate ambitiously with “them? I think not”…

Who is picking up the phone?

For Norway and Russia, bilateral military cooperation has been suspended. The northern commands still have their direct communications in place for urgent communication. But some of the openness and clarity of communication is likely reduced due to lack of face-to-face contact in other settings. It is not that the telephone line between the countries are not there anymore, but who is picking it up and do the “chatting”? How well do they know each other?, she asks rhetorically.

Wilson Roew is pointing out that personal relations across the Barents in many fields from military to civil society, actually is a heritage from Thorvald Stoltenberg’s time as Norway’s foreign minister and envisioned to serve the purpose of peace, certainly serves to facilitate effective communication.

-I think that this mutual and informal contact between the institutions and the people working there is suffering, she says.

Not a bragging matter

And she points out another aspect of the new situation:

-In our research, we have noted that, before the annexation of Crimea, Russian politicians used to highlight positively their contact with other Arctic states in mainstream Russian media.

Many photos of Lavrov meeting the Arctic foreign ministers. Now the same media coverage scarcely mentions the international Arctic and primarily focuses on Russian northern domestic issues or on military feats of strength in the region. One could argue the same in Norway, that cooperation with Russia is now no longer a great sell to voters.

The neighborhood is changed

Elana Wilson Rowe thinks that, in the Arctic, the cooperation will continue, but it will be a cooperation based on the overlapping political interests of the parties involved, not out of the pursuit of regional cohesion for its own sake.

-That means the ambitions of the significance of regional cooperation and the associated rhetoric changes. Neighbors, but not “without fences”.

—

Tom Røseth is Fellow at the Centre for Asian Security Studies, Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies.
Elana Wilson Rowe is a senior research fellow at NUPI and an adjunct professor at NORD University.

State Secretary Tore Hattrem’s speech at the 200th anniversary of the Office of the Auditor General of Norway.
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here today for the 200th anniversary of the Office of the Auditor General of Norway.

The Office of the Auditor General is an important institution.

With its strong focus on transparency and accountability in public spending and performance, it plays an important role in building trust and contributes to good governance and democracy.

It is therefore very positive that the Office of the Auditor General cooperates with its sister organisations in other countries, many of which, I am aware, are present here today.

Conducting joint audits is one of the ways in which the Auditor General of Norway has cooperated, very successfully I must say, with its partners in the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation.

Over the last ten years, my ministry has been among the subjects of three such audits: on nuclear safety, on joint fisheries management, and on the Arctic Council.

These topics are all of great importance to both Norway and Russia. They reflect our shared commitment to sustainable, knowledge-based management of Arctic resources, based on the principles of international cooperation.

And these are the topics I am here to talk to you about today: the Arctic and our cooperation with Russia, with particular focus on the practical value of the joint audits of nuclear safety, fisheries management and the Arctic Council.

Let me start with a few words about why the Arctic is Norway’s most important foreign policy priority.
The Arctic – Norway’s most important foreign policy priority

We know that the Arctic is a region abundant with resources such as energy, minerals and fish. At the same time, the Arctic is a highly vulnerable natural environment, where the impacts of climate change can be clearly observed.

Climate change represents a challenge for us all, but it is also opening up new opportunities for economic activity in the Arctic. The potential for shorter trading routes across Arctic waters is currently being explored, as well as new possibilities for resource extraction.

To seize these opportunities while ensuring sustainable development of the Arctic, we need increased knowledge, responsible management and international cooperation.

Norway i cooperating closely with other countries and various organisations on how to ensure sustainable development of the region.

Today, the Arctic stands out as a region of cooperation and stability.

The overall goal of Norway’s Arctic policy is to ensure that it stays that way.

Norwegian–Russian cooperation in the Arctic – bilateral and regional cooperation

Norway has a long history of constructive neighbourly cooperation with Russia in the north.As early as 1974, we established the Joint Norwegian–Russian Fisheries Commission together with our Russian partners.

During the 1990s, our region saw the start of new forms of cooperation, such as the Council of the Baltic Sea States in 1992, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in 1993, the Arctic Council in 1996 and the EU Northern Dimension in 1997.

All these structures have built confidence and enhanced integration in our region.

Significantly, Russia has been – and continues to be – an important partner in all these forums.

Results – examples of successful Norwegian–Russian cooperation in fields of common interest
Norway and Russia have identified a broad range of areas where cooperation is mutually beneficial and yields results.

The most important areas at the government level are: management of shared fish stocks, environmental protection, nuclear safety, maritime safety including search and rescue at sea, as well as Coast Guard and Border Guard activities more broadly.

This, along with the joint efforts of civil society organizations and the informal people-to-people contact in the north, have contributed much to facilitating and simplifying cross-border cooperation and strengthening the bonds between our two countries.

Pressing challenges in the Arctic, such as environmental degradation and sustainable management of shared resources, can only be solved in cooperation with Russia and the other Arctic states.

I am therefore very pleased that the Office of the Auditor General of Norway and their Russian partners decided to jointly audit key areas where our countries cooperate closely, namely nuclear safety, fisheries management and the

Arctic Council.

They are all vital for a sustainable future in the Arctic.

Let me say a few words about each of these areas.

Nuclear safety

Nuclear safety cooperation with Russia is a priority for this Government, and our activities are based on the Government’s nuclear action plan.

And it is a success story – as was confirmed in September last year when we established common procedures for notification of nuclear incidents.

Today we have transparency in nuclear issues and safety assessments that would have been unthinkable 20 years ago.

Trust and confidence have been built through this work, with ripple effects that go far beyond reducing nuclear challenges. Not least, the Norwegian–Russian collaboration has produced concrete and measurable results that have made life safer for the people on both sides of the border for the last 20 years. During this period, we have allocated 230 million Euros to projects in northwestern Russia, which have produced very good results.

Together we have reduced the threats from one of the world’s largest stocks of poorly secured fissile material. These efforts are ongoing, and in 2017 we will start removing spent fuels from 100 nuclear submarine reactors in Andreeva Bay, the former nuclear submarine service base for Russia’s Northern Fleet.

We have dismantled five nuclear submarines and have removed and secured highly radioactive sources from 251 lighthouses. We have also upgraded the Kola and Leningrad nuclear power plants. As a result, there has been a significant reduction in the number of safety related incidents at these plants in recent years.

Another area of crucial importance is investigating sunken nuclear submarines. We have carried out successful expeditions to sunken nuclear submarines in Arctic waters in 2012 and 2014. The preliminary conclusion was that radioactive contamination in the area was low.

We were glad that the joint audit reports on nuclear cooperation confirmed the effectiveness of these efforts and showed that our cooperation has contributed to a safer world.

The insights we gain and the expertise we develop through this work put us in a much better position to handle any undesirable situations that might arise.

This is not least due to the good contact we have developed with the Russian authorities.

We will keep up the good work in the time ahead.

Joint fisheries management

Joint fisheries management is another area where Norway and Russia have cooperated closely with excellent results. We have achieved sustainable and efficient management of a number of shared fish stocks in the Barents Sea.

Back in 1989, the Northeast Arctic cod stock was at an all-time low.

Today, we enjoy the world’s most abundant cod stock in the Barents Sea. This year, for example, we shared a quota of 894 000 tonnes.

This development would not have been possible without the close and constructive fisheries cooperation with Russia that we have developed over the years.

It is also positive to see how our cooperation in the Joint Norwegian–Russian Fisheries Commission is progressing and expanding, for example on a new species, the snow crab.

Robust mechanisms for cooperation are crucial if we are to harvest our shared marine resources in the Arctic in a sustainable manner.

Our joint fisheries management stands out as a prime example of the benefits of cross boarder cooperation on sustainable management.

Arctic Council

As we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Office of the Auditor General of Norway, it is worth noting that this year also marks the 20th anniversary of the Arctic Council.

The Arctic Council is the most important forum for multilateral cooperation in the Arctic. It plays a vital role in preserving the Arctic as a region of peaceful collaboration.

It is also a forum where Norway and Russia collaborate closely on a wide variety of topics.

Moreover, the work of the Arctic Council is producing tangible results.

Its comprehensive reports and studies of climate change in the Arctic have highlighted the speed at which climate change is taking place.

This has had substantial impact on international climate negotiations.

Last month, for example, the Executive Secretary of the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change, Ms Christiana Figueres, noted the significant contribution of the Arctic Council to the science of climate change, stating that the historical Paris agreement of December last year would not have been possible without the Council’s contribution.

The joint audits

The joint audits of issues that reach well into our respective national administrations is a testimony to the extent and depth of Norwegian–Russian cooperation.

On a general level, I think it must be appropriate to say that the audits have contributed to increased transparency and accountability.

The joint audits have also been a very useful tool for the whole government administration. We have gained greater awareness of how we are working with nuclear safety, joint fisheries management and the Arctic Council.

The joint audits have forced us – in a systematic and positive way I should add – to see our work through the eyes of others. This is always a useful exercise. And doing so with the help of an institution that has 200 years of experience is particularly valuable.

I think it is right to say that the Norwegian Government is now working more systematically in its preparations for and the follow up of efforts under the Arctic Council.

The joint audit of the Arctic Council has also increased awareness among the Arctic states of the Arctic Council’s structure.

As a result, the need for a more strategic approach is now being discussed in the Arctic Council. The Arctic states have also initiated a discussion about whether the current set-up of the Council will enable us to meet the priorities of the Arctic states in the best possible way in the future. All these discussions are inspired by issues raised by the audit institutions.

Conclusion

Before concluding, let me just reiterate that the Arctic is a region of stability and predictability, and that it is the Government’s overall goal that it remains this way.

The work of the Auditor Generals has improved our cooperation on nuclear safety, fisheries management and the Arctic Council in many practical ways.

The joint audits by our respective Auditor Generals are also an important contribution to the ongoing peaceful cooperation between Norway and Russia in the north.

On the 16-17th of June the delegation of the Council of the Federation headed by the Chairman of Committee on Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev is visiting Oslo.

Today senators held meetings with Vice President of the Storting Ingjerd Schou, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence Anniken Huitfeldt, Leader of the Labour Party Jonas Gahr Støre.

Bilateral relations and European security issues were discussed in a friendly atmosphere.

On the 17th of June the delegation of the Council of the Federation met with State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tore Hattrem.

Norway announced plans Friday for its biggest military upgrade effort since the end of the Cold War, to bolster its defenses against an “increasingly unpredictable” Russia.

The Scandinavian country, a NATO member, plans new fighter jets and submarines to boost its ability to protect itself from its vast neighbor, with which it shares an Arctic border.

Over 20 years Norway would boost its defense budget by 165 billion kroner (17.5 billion euros at current exchange rate), according to details of a military programming law presented by the government.

“Unfortunately the geopolitical circumstances have changed significantly, in a bad way, in recent years,” Prime Minister Erna Solberg told a press conference in Oslo.

“We have an increasingly unpredictable neighbor to the east which is strengthening its military capacity, and showing willingness to use military force as a political tool,” she added.

The military programming law aims to upgrade the army both by efforts on maintaining existing resources and buying new equipment.

It foresees the purchase of 52 F-35 fighter jets and four submarines, as well as new naval surveillance planes to replace six ageing P-3 Orion aircraft.

The extra expenditure will bring Norway’s military budget up towards the 2.0 percent of GDP goal fixed by NATO, while not reaching it.

Solberg said the country’s current military might “is not adapted to the geopolitical situation,” describing a “historic defense effort, the biggest since the end of the Cold War.”

But it is less than the 180 billion kroner sought last year by the armed forces chief Haakon Bruun-Hanssen.

Before the military plans can be implemented the right-wing government has to get its proposals adopted in parliament where it is in a minority, and could therefore have to make amendments.

(AFP)

Rosselkhoznadzor head Sergey Dankvert met with Jose Miguel Burgos, the head of Chile’s Sernapesca fisheries body, on Thursday.

“The sides [Russia and Chile]…have mapped out concrete steps for the supply of genetic material from Chile for growing salmon in the Russian Federation. This will allow to replace Norwegian supplies of this product,”

Rosselkhoznadzor said in a statement after the meeting.

According to the Russian agriculture watchdog, the move comes amid concerns over the spread of salmon infections.

(News.Az)

Norske og russiske offiserer på pressekonferanse like etter KNM Fridtjof Nansen sin ankomst til Severomorsk i forbindelse med øvelse POMOR 2012
Norwegian and Russian officers at a press conference soon after KNM Fridtjof Nansen’s arrival at Severomorsk during the exercise POMOR 2012

– It is not as though all channels of communication between the Norwegian Armed Forces and the Russian military in the north are broken, specifies Chief of Communications, Colonel-Lieutenant Ivar Moen at Norwegian Joint Headquarters (FOH) in Bodø, to High North News.

– FOH’s duty officer and the Northern Fleet’s duty officer (Russia) are in contact each week via Skype to check the connection. The Skype connection exists to clarify relations between the Northern Fleet and FOH, in order to avoid any possible misunderstandings, Moen explains.

Commanders meet annually

In addition to the weekly Skype-connection controls, military commanders, FOH Commander and FSB Commander (federalnaja sluzjba bezopasnosti, Russian Federal Security Service, editorial note), meet annually. Russia’s FSB is concerned primarily with internal security. The Russian coast guard and border security are part of FSB.

– Annual meetings are held alternately in Norway and Russia, and lay the foundation for continuation of existing cooperation regarding, for example, the coast guard, search and rescue, and border security, with minutes recorded and verified. The parties also participate in two preparatory meetings held prior to the formal meeting. In the preparatory meetings, there is an exchange of information between the border commissioners, coast guard and FOH, in preparation for the formal meeting, explains Colonel-Lieutenant Moen.

Incident at Sea agreement

In addition to the areas above, cooperation between Norwegian and Russian military units and organisations continues via the Incident at Sea agreement between the two countries.

– The agreement aims to contribute to the prevention of incidents on the open sea; military vessels, rescue vessels and aircraft operating outside of territorial waters. The purpose of the agreement is to prevent the occurrence of dangerous situations related to Norwegian and Russian military vessels and aircraft operating in close proximity.

Negotiations in 2015

The agreement was signed in 1990 and later extended by amendments made in 1998. Negotiations between Norway and Russia regarding changes/updates to the agreement took place as recently as 2015, says Ivar Moen.

– The aim is to fulfill the purpose of the agreement by ensuring that military units demonstrate caution, and exchange information about their actions and intentions. Restrictions, obligations and communications procedures for vessels and aircraft, as well as instructions about information channels, and regular meetings between partners, are the measures one has to hand for preventing dangerous situations.

The Defense Staff manages the agreement, says Colonel-Lieutenant Ivar Moen at FOH.

On the 10th of June Russian Embassy in Norway hosted a solemn reception on the occasion of the oncoming National Day of Russia.

The event was attended by Members of Parliament, representatives of norwegian institutions, diplomatic corps, journalists, businessmen, cultural figures and artists and Russian community activists.

Russian Embassy in Norway thanked all the guests for numerous congratulations and wonderful atmosphere!

Ambassador remarks at the reception to mark Russia’s National Day (10 June 2016)

Regardless of the problems and concerns that Russian citizens may or may not have regarding Russian life, all are almost unanimously quite proud to be Russian. As such, Russia’s Independence Day, or “Russia Day” as it’s formally called, is an important holiday to Russian people in Russia and abroad. If you are traveling in Russia in June, don’t miss the huge celebrations that will take place in every city on June 12.

History

Russia Day is one of Russia’s youngest holidays, having only been around since 1992. The day celebrates the establishing of Russia as an independent country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, officially recognizing the day that the Declaration of the Sovereignty of the Russian Federation was signed. It also commemorates the creation of the post of the President of the Russian Federation (first taken by Boris Yeltsin), the national flag and the national anthem. Now it is used as an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of Russians worldwide as well as a general celebration of the Russian culture and identity. It is usually not a very political holiday, in the sense that politics are not usually mentioned or discussed.

Celebrations

Most major cities in Russia organize large public celebrations for Russia day. This includes concerts by famous musicians, kids’ activities, and fireworks at night. Since June usually means quite nice weather in Russia, people pile onto the streets to wander around and spend the afternoon in a park and the evening in a pub.

There are usually not many independent parties inside Russia, unlike in the U.S. Russian communities in other countries tend to also organize one big celebration with concerts, activities for kids, performances, music and dancing.

The holiday is now also used as an opportunity to give state awards to prominent Russians who have made significant accomplishments in the past year – in the sciences, humanities, arts and humanitarian activities. These official award presentations are broadly televised and attended by some of Russia’s most prominent political figures. There is a President’s Address, also televised, in the evening.

Russia Day is an official public holiday, which means that everyone gets the day off – and if the day falls on a weekend, then the holiday extends to Monday. All offices and many shops and businesses are closed on this day, and public transport runs on a restricted schedule.

You can stay up to date with Russia Day events and news on Facebook and Twitter (both in Russian, of course).

Best Cities

The best place to celebrate Russia Day is undoubtedly Moscow, where a huge celebration is always held right on Red Square. If you don’t like crowds, though, you should stay away, because the Moscow city center will be packed the whole day – especially the parks and cafes, and anywhere near Red Square. St. Petersburg is usually just as busy, although since fewer official celebrations take place there, it’s usually mildly less crowded and stressful.

Quieter celebrations take place in smaller cities in Russia like Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod. Here you will still usually find concerts, parades and/or fireworks, but fewer crowds and TV crews. If the weather is good, the atmosphere in the smaller cities is very pleasant – everyone is in a good mood and happy to celebrate being Russian in Russia.

Key Phrases

You may hear these words and phrases being thrown around in Russia on June 12, although it’s not common to say these things to strangers walking down the street (unlike during Easter).

Russian naval presence in the North Atlantic and High North areas is beginning to bring about the revisited notion of collective defence in the maritime domain, according to Norwegian State Secretary for Defense Oystein Bø.

Speaking at UDT 2016 in Oslo, where he delivered the inaugural speech for the event, Bø said that Russia had shown itself to have new maritime capabilities and had increased its presence in the High North waters.

‘Russian armed forces are training more often and of an increasingly complex nature, and is occurring without advanced notification. This is a revisitation of the bastion concept [used by the Soviet Navy during the Cold War],’ he said.

‘[Russia] has an increase in its ability to conduct anti-access area denial in the North Atlantic and add to this the allied presence in the High North has been gradually reduced.’

Bø was at pains to say that Norway did not consider Russia a military threat, but that it was in the interest of all Arctic states that the area remained stable.

‘We would like to see a more frequent allied presence in the High North and North Atlantic and to invest in maritime capabilities to ensure it remains politically and militarily credible.’

Bø added that Norway is in the final stages of concluding a new long-term plan of action for its Armed Forces, key among those was the need to replace the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), the procurement of a new fleet of submarines to replace the ageing Ula-class, investment in ISR capabilities and to remain committed to the F35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The Norwegian Defence White Paper is due on 17 June, which will outline procurement plans through the 2020s and 2030s. Bø said that they would strive towards meeting the 2% military spending target that all NATO members aimed for, but did caution that it was as important to ensure that what was spent was done so wisely.

On the Norwegian defence industry, Bø stated that while small, there had been some notable successes, as seen with its work in unmanned technology, missile systems and remote operator stations produced by indigenous companies.

Submarines meanwhile remained a leading influencer on the seascape, thanks to the ability to conduct surveillance and covert operations, but acknowledged the increasing cost per unit of modern platforms needed to be taken into account.

‘We have to get more bang for our buck… new technology is driving more efficient operational solutions [and] the tasks are increasingly more challenging.’

In the morning session on 1 June, a senior military officer present said that hybrid military operations, similar to those witnessed in Ukraine, were also beginning to be seen in the underwater domain. This activity served to highlight some of the challenges facing navies in a changing seascape, he said.

A representative from an industry company meanwhile said that platforms were getting more expensive and larger, particularly in the undersea domain. In an effort to extract the maximum value from its own submarine fleet, Germany would test the notion of mustering two crews for one vessel in order to enable its continuous use over the next two years.

Manpower was also a hot topic during the opening morning of the event, as defence officials spoke of the difficulties in ensuring crews remained motivated during long absences at sea and the need to avoid a boom and bust cycle of platform readiness.

(UDT)

Russia is extending its ban on imports of food from the EU and other countries through the end of 2017, with exceptions for meat and vegetables for baby food.

The embargo, restricting imports of most food from the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia and Norway, was instituted in 2014 in response to economic sanctions placed on Russia for its military and political involvement in Ukraine. In 2015 Russian president Vladimir Putin extended the embargo through Aug. 5, 2016 and added four more countries to the list: Albania, Montenegro, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The government is preparing documents for another extension, and will deliver them to Putin, the state-owned Tass news agency said Tuesday.

An exception was announced Wednesday for meat and vegetables used to make baby food, Tass reported.

“The embargo is currently effective until the end of August. I think these documents will be approved unless some miraculous changes occur in the geopolitics,” Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said.

While the United States exports little food to Russia, some European Union countries had a significant trade relationship with Russia prior to the embargo. A major dairy in one such country, Finland, announced the closing of a milk-processing facility because of losses caused in part by the lack of access to the Russian market. The Valio dairy company said it would close its Tampere, Finland, operations.

“The milk market remains extremely difficult; Russia continues its trade sanctions against the EU. Due to global milk overproduction and weak global demand, prices for milk products are at a very low level. The removal of EU milk quotas has worsened the situation,” a Valio statement said.

After the embargo began in 2014, Valio sold its “Oltermanni” cheese, popular in Russia, for half its regular price in Finland because of oversupply. Customers nicknamed it “Putin cheese” because of the large price discount.

On the 5th of February, the government of Russia will review the so called anti-crisis plan for the year 2016. The main idea of which, it seems, is the expansion of the privatisation of government companies. The previous privatisation program, which was implemented in 2011 until 2013, was expecting in influx of of $28,7 billion into the budget of Russia. 60% of this program was completed.
Especially interesting is the possibility of the privatisation of the oil company “Rosneft”, at the moment controlled by the company “Rosneftegas”, which belongs to the government. The privatisation of the oil branch has a political as well as en economic impact for Russia. It is considered by certain analysts that this change of ownership could bring about a fundamental redistribution in the influence of the government in the country.
This connection has displayed an interesting tendency. As soon as negotiations regarding the sale of the government-owned company “Rosneft” commence, the critics of it’s current activities and it’s current leader Igor Sechin emerge. He is blamed, first and foremost, for the “unprofitable” purchase of TNK-BP. At the same time as blaming Igor Sechin for the expensive purchase in conjunction with the market of the time, the very same critics suggest a very low price for the sale of “Rosneft”. If we look at the recent large ex-pit transactions, the current stock quotes of “Rusoil” do not reflect it’s actual price when considering the economic sanctions imposed by the West and the current stock quotes of the market.
Yesterday, President Vladimir Putin gave a description of the future buyer. It is a transparent company registered in Russia which does not use any government bank money for the purchase. The perfect candidate according to this portrait is the owner of “Lukoil”, Vagit Alekperov, who almost openly talks of his interest in this deal. During the continuation of the Western sanctions, other buyers could be China and India, but in this case there are a lot of questions.

The purchase of TNK-BP and the building of “Rosneft” in it’s current state served as a huge blow to those who wish to control the fuel and energy complex of Russia. This is Sechin’s main “sin”, and for this he is berated. Why now? To push back the process of the sale, if only by prolonging the said process.

Rosneft is an integrated oil company majority owned by the Government of Russia.
Rosneft became Russia’s leading extraction and refinement company after purchasing assets of former oil giant Yukos at state-run auctions. In March 2013, Rosneft became the largest publicly traded oil company, after buying TNK-BP.

Several Norwegian companies now confirm that their contracts with the Russian oil producer Rosneft being terminated. Among them are Siem Offshore, Rem Offshore and Viking Supply.

The companies were all working closely with Rosneft had comprehensive drilling operation in the Kara Sea.

The oilmen, most of them Norwegians, were commuting great distances to and from the field. they first traveled by plane to the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes and from there crossed the Russian border to Murmansk. There, in the port of Lavna, they embarked a ship which took them all the way to the far Arctic Kara Sea. All together, the distance is estimated to about 5000 km.

By Per Wilhelm Myhre and N.Sethu

“Lukoil” has included the sector in the region of Svalbard (Shpittzbergen in Russian) which is considered an economically independent zone, in the next round of auctioning that Norway is holding. The Norway Ministry of oil has recently made the decision to increase the inventory of the sectors of hydrocarbon , which are offered to energy companies within the regulations of the 23rd licensing round.
The sector is located within the zone of the Svalbord quadrant, which is internationally considered to be a zone which is independent from any country’s economic activities (both Norway and Russia have previously laid claims to this territory).

Earlier the Russian Government has urged their companies to hold off from any works in this region, as it may be considered by Norway to be admission of their economic right over the Svalbord quadrant.
That is why, for example, Rosneft is not taking part in the auction. British Petroleum have also declined to take part. In accordance with the 1920 agreement regarding Shpitzberhgen (the document was signed by the USA, the UK, India, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USSR as of 1935), any country has the right to “equal free access for any purpose”.

Lukoil is Russia’s second largest oil company and its second largest producer of oil company produced million tons of oil (1.813 million barrels) per day.

Headquartered in Moscow, Lukoil is the second largest public company in terms of proven oil and gas reserves.

The company has operations in more than 40 countries around the world.

(N.Sethu)

Russia will reportedly not accept refugees deported from Norway. The move by the Russian government comes as Norway seeks to tighten requirements for asylum seekers and send some refugees to Russia. Thousands of asylum-seekers have crossed from Russia into Norway since the refugee crisis began.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the announcement yesterday at a press conference, reports the Nordic Page.
“The talk is about people who arrived in Russia with a purpose of either to work in Russia or to visit relatives. They had not declared their purpose of visit as transit to Norway,” Lavrov said.

“This means that they had deliberately stated false data about the purpose of their visit to the Russian Federation. This is why we do not want to admit these people back to Russia.”

Refugees have been entering Norway through Russia since October, and Norway has recently begun to send refugees back to Russia. Russia has agreed to take in a limited number of refugees who traveled to Norway in 2015, reports Reuters.

“Russia has always said they are not interested in taking back most of the 5,400 refugees. But we have an understanding with Russia that we can send back those who have a valid visa and residency in Russia,” said Norse Foreign Minister Rune Bjaastad.
The area around Russia, Norway and Finland is frequently traversed by refugees fleeing violence in the Middle East, reports Foreign Policy. The policies of Norway and Russia will have a significant effect on the thousands of refugees who pass through the nations.

While Norway is not a member of the European Union, it is inside the Schengen passport-free travel zone. This means that migrants are free to travel elsewhere in Europe without a passport from Norway.

Norway will also reportedly deport some 4,800 additional asylum seekers who are not residents of Russia to their native countries.

Norway’s right-leaning government has taken steps before to curb the flow of refugees into the country. In December 2015, Norway’s immigration ministry began a push for more stringent asylum requirements to escape “violent consequences” for Norway.

The United Nations’ refugee agency UNHCR expressed concern Wednesday over Norway’s policy on returning refugees to Russia and plans to tighten rules for family reunifications. “We consider that the Norwegian procedure … is cause for concern,” the UNHCR’s representative in the Nordic region, Pia Prytz Phiri, told reporters at the close of a three-day visit.”It’s a problem for us that Norway considers Russia a safe asylum country,” she said.
Norway decided in November that refugees who arrived in the Scandinavian country after having stayed legally in Russia had to be swiftly sent back to Russia — without having their asylum applications considered — since Oslo considered Russia a safe country.

Some 5,500 refugees arrived in Norway via the “Arctic route” through Russia last year.

After sending some 200 people back, Norway stopped returning refugees to Russia at Moscow’s request, as Russian authorities cited “security reasons”.
But Norway has said it is negotiating a resumption with Moscow.

The Norwegian return policy risks depriving some legitimate asylum seekers of their right to protection, the UNHCR warned.

An independent body within the Norwegian immigration authority, Landinfo, said it had been informed by the UN agency that Russia had in January 2015 expelled two Syrians back to their war-torn country.

Norwegian Immigration and Integration Minister Sylvi Listhaug, speaking at the same press conference as Phiri Wednesday, assured that “we are of course going to listen to what the UN has to say”.

She added however that “there are situations where the UN recommendations go beyond what our commitments are in respect to international conventions”.

The UNHCR also said it was “deeply concerned” by Norway’s plans to tighten rules for family reunifications.

The right-wing coalition government, which includes an anti-immigration party, has proposed that a person must have studied or worked for at least four years before being allowed to bring over their family.

The proposal, which is still in the early stages, would require parliament’s green light and the government does not hold a majority.

Norwegian migration police superintendent Tor Espen Haga reports that Norway returned about 600 asylum seekers arriving from Russia back to that country in November through December 2015, according to NRK. These are the people with permits for residence in Russia, he said, NRK wrote.”Those who don’t have Russian residence permits won’t be sent back. Norway will either consider their application for asylum or send to the countries which had refused them asylum before,” Haga said.
According to him, Norway returned 250 asylum seekers to Russia in December and 343 people during the second half of November. From 15 to 40 people are sent back to Russia every day.

“The Russians accept all those who have permits for residence in Russia before they go to Norway,” he said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Norway’s justice minister earlier said that those who arrived from Russia to seek asylum in Norway would be sent back if they had documents allowing them to stay in Russia.

Russia on Sunday confirmed it had shut for “security reasons” an Arctic border post with Norway to migrants being controversially returned from the Nordic country. Norway on Saturday said it was temporarily halting its return of migrants — mainly from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq — who had entered from Russia following a request from the authorities there.Some 5,500 migrants crossed from Russia into Norway last year, on the last leg of an arduous journey through the Arctic to Europe.
But the right-wing government in Oslo has decided that migrants who had been living legally in Russia, or had entered Russia legally, should be immediately returned there, on the basis that Russia is a safe country.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told AFP that Moscow had informed Norway on Friday that it was halting the return of migrants through the Borisoglebsk-Storskog crossing in line with a 2011 bilateral agreement.

Exceptions will, however, be made for any migrants who can be shown to meet the criteria of an earlier agreement that obliges Moscow to readmit them if they do not fulfil Norwegian immigration laws and have valid Russian visas or residence permits.

“The steps taken by Russia were dictated by security reasons and based on bilateral agreements with Norway,” Zakharova said.

Norwegian police returned 13 migrants by bus to Russia on Tuesday and two similar operations were scheduled for Thursday and Friday but were then cancelled, for what officials said were logistical reasons.

The foreign ministry in Norway said there would be no more returns “until further notice” and that Russian border authorities “want more coordination” in future.

Rights groups had expressed outrage at the migrants being forced to return by bike in winter, when temperatures in the far north regularly fall to minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus four Fahrenheit).

They also say that Russia has a poor record on dealing with requests for asylum, with the process sometimes taking years and applicants running the risk of being arrested and expelled to their country of origin.

Norway is not within the European Union, but is a member of the Schengen passport-free zone.

Many migrants arrived in the country by bicycle as Russian authorities do not let people cross the border on foot and Norway considers people driving migrants across the border in a car or truck to be traffickers.
(digitaljournal)

Thomas Nilsen, the former editor of an online newspaper in Arctic Norway who was recently fired, may have been a victim of Norway’s unusual relationship with Russia in the Arctic, suggests a piece in the BBC Magazine. Nilsen was fired from the BarentsObserver in late September.
“The disagreement stemmed, Nilsen says, from the paper’s coverage of Russia – particularly an article he wrote during the Ukraine crisis criticising Russian president Vladimir Putin’s increasing crackdown on independent media and voluntary organisations,” the BBC wrote.
BarentsObserver’s owner, Norwegian Barents Secretariat, a company owned by the three counties in Norway’s north, dismissed those claims: “The paper’s owners say Nilsen’s sacking had nothing to do with the paper’s Russian coverage, and they never had any contact with any Russian official,” the BBC reported.

Despite such denials, the story became a a national one in Norway, where the national broadcaster claimed Russian security officials were involved in the move (a claim Russia’s embassy in Norway denied).

Tension over the firing and its aftermath highlights the unusual nature of Russia and Norway’s Arctic border.

Despite tensions elsewhere between Russia and the West, citizens of both nations travel freely across the border in the region, and enjoy economic ties that include fisheries and oil — though parts of that sector have been harmed by sanctions.

The region has also seen an influx of refugees crossing into Europe through Russia’s Arctic.

Nilsen, for his part, said he valued the cross-border friendships, but also “rejects any suggestion that Norwegian media should keep quiet about problems in Russia as a price to ensure good relations,” according to the BBC.

He’s now working to launch his own online publication to cover events in the region.

Russian experts will conduct an aerial surveillance flight over Norway in an An-30 cartography aircraft within the scope of the Treaty on Open Skies, the head of Russia’s Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said on Monday.”The surveillance flight with a maximum range of 1,700 kilometers (1,056 miles) will take place between November 23-27, taking off from Bardufoss Airport,” Sergei Ryzhkov said.
Norwegian experts will be on board the plane to oversee the observance of treaty clauses, he added. The flight, Russia’s 38th Open Skies flight this year, will take place to enhance mutual openness in military activities among the treaty signatories, according to the official.

Norwegian and British experts conducted a similar flight over Russia between August 24-28.
The Treaty on Open Skies entered into force from 2002, providing for unarmed aerial surveillance flights between member states. With 34 states ratifying the agreement, 27 states are Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) members. Russia ratified the agreement in 2001.

(sputniknews)

Norway has set itself up against Russia, and therefore we are being punished, says Aftenposten’s former editor, Kjell Dragnes. Norway has objected against the superpower, the neighbour in the East, and we are simply being punished for it, says Dragnes to NRK. Dragnes was until recently editor of foreign affairs for Aftenposten, and he has been Moscow correspondent for the newspaper twice.
Last week, 2,000 asylum seekers came to Norway. Approximately every fourth came from Russia, according to the Directorate of Immigration (UDI).
Only 35 have come to Finland, even though Finland has a much longer border with Russia than Norway. But Finland is not a NATO country.

– It leaves the impression that Russia does it on purpose. If such is the case it is very serious, says the Progress Party’s parliamentary leader in Parliament, Harald Tom Nesvik.

Dragnes believes that this must be seen in connection with the Norwegian government’s sanctions against Russia after the country annexed Crimea, and the supported the war in eastern Ukraine. Norway introduced the same sanctions as the European Union against Russia.

– Now Russia sees the opportunity to punish Norway by sending unwanted people to Norway by expelling them, says Dragnes.

Norway has also been affected by Russia’s counter economic sanctions. Russia has introduced a stop of food imports, including import of Norwegian fish.

– This is Russian hybrid warfare against Norway. The reason is that we are a NATO country that shares a border with Russia, says a high ranking source to aldrimer.no.

Hybrid Warfare is a collective term for hidden warfare and state influence operations and propaganda.

Organized by the FSB
The practical arrangements of the refugee traffic to the Russian-Norwegian border is by the FSB in Murmansk, in partnership with organized criminal groups, writes aldrimer.no citing intelligence sources who say that it is well known that the FSB, which is also responsible for Russian espionage against Norway, has close ties to the Russian mafia and other criminal groups.

In Russia, a very organized transport and support operation is established. In addition to human smuggling, there is also a very professional and extensive sale of bicycles to “refugees”, given that it is not allowed to walk across the border. Norwegian or Russian citizens who drive refugees across the border could be punished.

The route to the Norwegian-Russian border is also being actively promoted on social media, writes the outlet.

And while Russian border guards require a Schengen visa to be let into Russia, there is no such requirement at the border to Norway – to seek asylum.

However, the “refugees” – mostly Afghanis, who have lived a long time in Russia – have to bicycle across the border, as walking is not allowed.

The bikes are left right after the border crossing into Norway, and the “refugees” are then free to seek asylum.

No, it’s not Disneyland, but almost.

Russia of course denies any involvement in the matter.

– Russia has nothing to do with the flow of refugees to Norway. Norway is too kind, and therefore asylum seekers come to Norway, says Russia’s Consul General in Kirkenes, to Nettavisen.

(speisa)

Norwegian authorities say that Russians are blackmailing government workers, including MPs, into revealing state secrets by tricking them with duplicitous gifts like vodka and attractive women—a well-known strategy from the Cold War era.The head of counterintelligence for Norway’s Police Security Service, Arne Christian Haugstøyl, told state broadcaster NRK (link in Norwegian) that a growing number of Norwegians have been coming forward to report they have fallen into traps set by Russian spy agencies. He called the trend “alarming” and said Norwegian officials “must be more aware of” the problem.

According to the Local, Haugstøyl suspects that Norwegians are particularly susceptible to being bamboozled when they are abroad, saying its people are too trusting when traveling outside the country. He also said that the number of blackmailing cases may be larger than authorities can account for “because some people will undoubtedly feel the pressure is so large that they will not report it to us, or to their employer when they return” from a trip abroad.

With Russia’s military buildup in the Arctic, Norway said Thursday it needed to modernize its defenses, Reuters reported. Norway, a NATO member state, shares a small border with Russia in the Arctic where there has been increased military activity.“Our neighbor in the east has built up its military capacity, also in areas close to us,” said Admiral Haakon Bruun-Hanssen of Norway’s navy. “They have shown that they are willing to use military force to achieve political ambitions.”
Norway’s defense forces would need more than $21 billion beyond what was budgeted for the next 20 years, Bruun-Hanssen said. Russia’s military actions in both Ukraine and Syria have created uncertainty across Europe. Norway also mentioned it was now facing cyber and terrorist threats, as well.

Norway’s Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide said Western relations with Russia had been permanently altered over Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in March 2014, after which a war in eastern Ukraine began pitting government forces against Russian-backed separatists. The conflict has caused the deaths of approximately 8,000 people and displaced 1.4 million. Russia has continued to deny any direct military involvement in the conflict.

“We are faced with a different Russia,” Søreide said speaking with CNN. “I want to warn against the fact that some people see this as something that is going to pass. The situation has changed. And it has changed profoundly.”

Other European countries also have embarked on modernizing their defense capabilities amid uncertainty over Russia. Poland has begun a military modernization program at a cost of more than $35 billion. Poland and Sweden signed a military cooperation agreement in September that also cited Russian military fears. Sweden said it had increased its own military spending by 11 percent.

“Once a sea of peace, the Baltic has become a sea of danger,” said Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak.

Norway’s announcement came as Russia continued its airstrikes in Syria Thursday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country was not targeting American-backed forces. “We targeted ISIL-associated depots, armaments and sites,” he said, referring to the Islamic State militant group.

(ibtimes)
Back

Norway’s opposition leader is worried that Olso is wearing down the country’s once close relations with Moscow. Norway’s opposition leader has criticised that country’s current government for failing to maintain good relations with Russia.Jonas Gahr Støre, the head of Arbejderpartiet, and the former foreign minister, agreed that Oslo ought to take a hard-line against Moscow over its involvement in eastern Ukraine, but said in an interview with Klassekampen, a left-leaning newspaper, that this should not come at the expense of good overall relations.
During his term as foreign minister, one of Mr Støre’s main concerns was the North. He worked to achieve good relations with Moscow, which led to several breakthrough deals, including the Varangerfjord Agreement, a maritime delimitation agreement in the Barents, and an arrangement that made it easier to cross the Russian-Norwegian border. He now fears several of these agreements might be threatened.

He notes that Oslo’s dissatisfaction that Moscow has permitted asylum seekers to cross the border into northern Norway seems to have worsened the situation.

However, he said he trusted that the government would come to terms with the Kremlin over the refugee situation.

The growing Russian military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic has increased the strategic significance of Iceland. All nations of Northern Europe must work together to counter the growing threat a Norwegian defence expert argues.Growing Russian presence in the North Atlantic
One of the authors of Norway‘s new defence policy, Rolf Tamnes, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RÚV the greatest security threat to Norway is the growing Russian military presence in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Tamnes argued that since Iceland is part of this region it faces the same challenge as Norway. The answer to these challenges according to Tamnes is a strengthening of NATO and greater military cooperation.

Tamnes points out Russia is extending its reach further into the Atlantic to provide cover for its fleet of nuclear submarines. Russia also seeks to keep other powers out of the North Atlantic and the Arctic. “They seek to keep other powers out of the North Atlantic” Tamnes tells RÚV. “Not only does this region contain Norway, but Iceland as well, so I would say the strategic importance of Iceland has grown from the Russian perspective.”
Tamnes tells RÚV that small nation, like Iceland, cannot face threats like this on their own. This changed reality has again increased the importance of alliances like NATO. “All the nations of Northern Europe should join that effort” Tamnes concludes.

An open seminar on military challenges in Northern Europe tomorrow
Tomorrow, Wednesday September from 22 11:30 to 12:30, Tamnes will be speaking at an open seminar hosted by the Institute of International Affairs at the University of Iceland. The talk is entitled “A Unified Effort. Strategies and Military Challenges in Northern Europe.” The seminar will take place in English and is open to all.

The area above the Arctic Circle is finally getting some attention from western politicians, after Barack Obama’s presidential trip to Alaska and a global climate change conference there. Sure, any jolt of activity is likely a welcome occurrence in these far northern communities, but barring sparse high-profile visits, towns and villages in the Arctic nurture and cultivate local economies on their own.A 60-kilometer wide no-visa zone in the Barents Region, halfway across the Arctic Circle from Alaska, is one tool that locals use to spur economic activity. Spanning both sides of the Norwegian-Russian border, this no-visa zone exists to fuel business collaborations and regional trade there.
The border between Norway and Russia runs 196 kilometers (122 miles) from Finland north to the Barents Sea. On the Norwegian side of the border, the no-visa zone extends 30 kilometers northwest, including the mining town of Kirkenes. On the Russian side, the no-visa zone extends 30 kilometers southeast, encompassing the mining town Nikel. At certain points on the Russian side, the zone even extends further, up to 50 kilometers from the border.

Russian or Norwegian citizens who have lived for three years within this range can buy a €20 ($22.40) permit to travel freely within the whole no-visa area. The permit is valid for three years and allows the holder to stay in the neighboring country for up to 15 days at a time. All travelers must pass through the sole official checkpoint in Storskog, Norway. A more traditional multiple-entry visa costs €35.

Kirkenes and Nikel, both above the Arctic Circle, were once wholly dependent on mining iron and nickel. After the Soviet Union collapsed, local interest grew in developing commercial activity there. The Norwegian and Russian governments eventually established the no-visa zone in 2012 in order to encourage trade across their borders.
“You might think that the locals do a lot of cross-border activity, but it’s not that much. A lot of people from Kirkenes have never been to Russia, and a lot of people in Russia have never been to Kirkenes,” says Hilde Methi, a Kirkenes-based independent art curator. Nevertheless, she says, some cultural and business collaborations go on between Nikel and Kirkenes, beyond the mining. And there’s certainly more people-to-people contact and even international marriages. “Russians come to Norway to go shopping,” she says. “And Norwegians go to Russia to get cheap fuel and petrol.”

Everywhere in the visa-free zone is a shared dark side, too: the growing threat to the region posed by environmental destruction and heavy pollution from local ore mining and petroleum operations in the Barents Sea.

Says Methi, “You see this really polluted part [in Russia] that has a huge impact on the vegetation and soil. The trees are dead.” Mining activities in Kirkenes also perturb the Norwegian side of the border. As in the rest of the Arctic, climate change is contributing strongly to the decline of the environment near Kirkenes and Nikel.

Temperatures are rising twice as fast there than the global warming average below the Arctic Circle, and scientific evidence points to the effects: rising sea levels, flooding, and extreme weather.

(qZ)

Russian customs has for the last 10 months held in impound samples from a sunken nuclear submarine that Russian scientists sent to their Norwegian counterparts to confirm whether the wreck poses any radiological hazards, Norwegian media have reported.The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA), which has participated in several joint missions with Russian authorities to determine whether the sunken K-159 Soviet-built nuclear submarine poses radiological hazards, has requested Norway’s Foreign Minister intervene to secure the samples.
Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its part said it had received NRPA’s complaints over the samples and will convey them to the Russian Embassy, said NRK, Norway’s national broadcaster.

Nils Bøhmer, Bellona’s executive director and nuclear physicist speculated that the hold up of the samples could be caused by one of two things.

“The reasons come form either someone trying to cause difficulty and spoil good relations between Norway and Russia in the area [of nuclear cleanup cooperation],” he said. “Or it could be that the Russians have something to hide, and that the samples show readings they’d prefer to hide.”

The samples were taken during a August to September 2014 joint Russian-Norwegian expedition to the K-159, a rusted out nuclear submarine, which sank under assisted transport from the Gremikha Russian Naval installation to dismantlement at Polyarny, north of Murmansk.

NRPA and Russian authorities had agreed Russia would get the first crack at analyzing the samples, and then send them on to Norway. But the samples were seized by Russian customs in Murmansk, where they remain under lock and key, possibly gagging the release of critical information about the sub’s disposition.

The August 2003 sinking of the K-159 killed nine of the 10 sailors who were aboard the derelict sub to plug leaks in its hull during the journey.

When it sank, its reactors were filled 800 kilograms of spent uranium fuel, and they now lie under 246 meters of water 130 kilometers from the Norwegian coast on the floor of Kola Bay’s fertile fishing grounds.

Previous examinations of the vessel have tentatively concluded it poses no special radiation hazards. Norwegian and Russian scientists, however, are at odds about how dangerous the sub is. The Russian side said after the September mission that the vessel poses dangers to the immediate undersea environment, while Norway said it’s essentially harmless for now.

But both Norway and Russia agree that the foil thin condition of the hull means that the safest plan involves eventually raising the wreck so that water doesn’t begin to leak into the reactor chambers.

Another possible plan to secure the sub, the NRPA indicated, is to bury it on the seafloor to prevent water ingress into the uranium fuel.

The customs hold up with the samples sent to Norway is therefore causing irritation. During the September joint expedition, Norwegian and Russian scientists took sediment and fish samples surrounding the K-159, which might hold key information on possible radioactive leakage, Norway’s national broadcaster NRK said, quoting an NRPA specialist.

Norway needs the samples to complete the investigation of the vessel and decide further coursed of action, said Inger Margrethe Eikelmann, who heads the NRPA’s northern division.

“The Russians have analyzed their half of the samples, so we know the result, but we want to have samples in Norway as well, so we can do our own analysis,” she said. “Things take time when it comes to working with the Russians, but we can’t wait forever,” she added, and urged Russian and Norwegian customs to come to an agreement.

In a separate interview to the Norwegian English-language news portal thelocal.no, Eikelmann indicated she was not particularly concerned that the locked-up samples secret any unpleasant surprises.

“We have been working very closely with [the Russians] for many years and we are exchanging samples and data every year, so we know that they do a good job with the analysis and the presentation of the results,” said Eikelmann as quoted by the portal. “But we want to finish this project by having a joint report on the expedition.”

Read the original article on Bellona. Copyright 2015. Follow Bellona on Twitter.

(bellona)