Monday, November 10, 2025
Media Freedom

Norway Extends Media Support for Women

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway is supporting The Irrawaddy news organization to strengthen its coverage of women, peace and security issues over a 19-month period as part of Norway’s commitment to the implementation of United Nations’ Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in Myanmar.

The resolution reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction, and stresses the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

The Irrawaddy’s founder and editor-in-chief Aung Zaw and the Royal Norwegian Ambassador in Yangon Tone Tinnes signed an agreement to implement the project on July 7.

Starting this month, the project will focus on mainstreaming ethnic women’s views and concerns related to peace and security, so that their voices will be heard and taken into consideration in the ongoing peace-building process in Myanmar.

The Irrawaddy will invest in building public awareness and understanding around women’s involvement in the peace process. It will support and encourage the airing of the views of women and girls on the challenges they face and the solutions they seek in relation to gender issues and on all matters concerning peace and security.

The new project follows earlier support from the Norwegian Embassy to The Irrawaddy news organization for coverage of women and gender issues.

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Economics

UK and Norway to lift flight ban of two Super Puma helicopters

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway are set to lift a flight ban of the H225LP and AS332L2 Super Puma helicopters across the two countries.

The ban was imposed after an accident involving a H225 killed 13 people near Turøy, Norway, last year.

Following the ban, operators in the UK and Norway were unable to use Super Pumas, manufactured by Airbus Helicopters, for commercial offshore flights.

The latest decision to remove the ban came after close consultations with the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) and Airbus Helicopters, as well as the UK and Norwegian operators.

“The safety of those who travel on offshore helicopter flights is a key priority for both the UK and Norwegian aviation authorities.”
Airbus Helicopters has also made improvements and modifications, in addition to introducing enhanced safety measures and maintenance inspection methods for the relevant helicopter types.

UK CAA airworthiness head John McColl said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly. It has only been made after receiving extensive information from the Norwegian accident investigators and being satisfied with the subsequent changes introduced by Airbus Helicopters through detailed assessment and analysis.

“The safety of those who travel on offshore helicopter flights is a key priority for both the UK and Norwegian aviation authorities.

“We would not have made this decision unless we were convinced that the changes to the helicopters and their maintenance restore the required airworthiness standards.”

The CAA is also planning to undertake further checks, modifications and inspections before allowing the proposed Super Puma flights in the country.

Individual operators will also be required to provide safety cases if they wish to resume Super Puma flights.

(aerospace-technology)

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Crimes

Gunman opened fire injuring four people in Oslo

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A GUNMAN armed with a pistol opened fire outside a Norwegian nightclub in Oslo injuring four people including two bouncers, police reported.

André Kråkenes, police spokesman, said the victims were taken to hospital from the music venue Blue in Oslo but were not critically injured.

Oslo police added that emergency crews are still on site. Officers have already arrested the shooter and said they have “no more suspects.”

The suspect reportedly tried to escape in a taxi before armed police officers detained him.

The reason for the shooting appears to be that the man was asked to leave the club, police said.

American hip–hop artist Kool G Rap was performing at the Blue nightclub on Saturday night. It was his first ever appearance in Norway.

Police were reportedly nearby, responding to a separate incident, when the shots were fired.

The suspect is known to police but they would not comment on whether he has been previously convicted or whether he is part of a criminal gang.

A gun was recovered at the scene, according to a Norwegian paper.

Witnesses claim one of the victims was shot in the neck and another was shot in the leg.

The shooting happened just before 3:30am BST.

The club where the shooting took place is said to be located in an old industrial building in the Brenneriveien area of the city.

(N.Sethurupan)

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Asia and Norway

PM Modi invites Norway pension funds to invest in India

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Narendra Modi invited Erna Soolberg, PM of Norway to invest in National Investment and Infrastructure Fund in India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday invited Norwegian pension funds to invest in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund as he met Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who gifted him a symbolic football. Continuing his series of bilateral meetings here on the sidelines of the G20 Summit.

Modi also, met South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Italy’s Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. He held a bilateral meeting with President of Argentina Mauricio Macri. Modi congratulated in person Moon on his victory in presidential elections while the South Korean President recalled the prime minister’s congratulatory phone call and tweet in Korean language, saying it was warmly received by the people of South Korea.

Both leaders expressed their commitment to further develop the special strategic partnership between India and South Korea, particularly through participation in programmes such as Make in India, Digital India and Start up India, the Ministry or External Affairs said.The prime minister invited President Moon to visit India at an early date. The invitation was accepted, the MEA said.

Modi’s discussions with Italy’s Prime Minister Gentiloni focused on promoting bilateral relations, particularly trade and investment and people-to-people ties. Prime Minister Modi invited Italy’s participation in World Food India – the food processing exhibition to be held in India in November this year. The two leaders stressed on the significance of promoting interaction between medium enterprises of the two countries for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation. The prime minister of Italy appreciated Indian investments in his country, including in the industrial sector. The two also discussed ways and means to work together for providing sustainable solutions to prevent climate change and promote development in Africa.

Modi and Solberg discussed bilateral matters, especially strengthening of economic relations. Prime Minister Modi invited participation of Norwegian pension funds in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund. The prime minister of Norway invited India to participate in the Oceans’ Conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In a gesture symbolising cooperation for attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Prime Minister Solberg presented to Prime Minister Modi, at the end of the meeting, a football with SDGs inscribed on it.

On Friday, Modi held bilaterals with Japan’s Shinzo Abe and Canada’s Justin Trudeau.

(N.C2)

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Srilanka and Norway

Sri Lanka’s University and Western Norway University of Applied Sciences cooperation on clean energy technology

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

The Western Norway University of Applied Sciences today signed a collaboration agreement with the University of Jaffna on capacity building and establishing of a research consortium in nanomaterials for clean energy in the presence of the Norwegian Ambassador, Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther.

This collaboration which is 6.2 million Norwegian Kroners (Rs. 112 million) over a period of three years, is funded by the Norwegian Embassy as part of its development cooperation program.

“I hope this partnership on clean energy technology brings new ideas and advances in sustainable energy solutions for Sri Lanka,” Ambassador Gaustadsæther said.

Part of the funding will be utilized to upgrade the laboratory facilities and for technical assistance and capacity building at the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Technology at the Kilinochchi campus and at the Faculty of Science at the Jaffna campus of the University of Jaffna.

One of the main aspects of this collaboration is the establishment of a consortium on clean energy technologies, which includes the partners and private enterprises in both Sri Lanka and in Norway.

Clean energy technology is one of the priority sectors for Norway. Therefore, promotion of these technologies as well as building linkages between research and business is encouraged as this could lead to further investments in innovation.

Enterprises in Norway and in Sri Lanka will contribute to this project by means of technical assistance, offering work placements for the students, involvement in research projects, offering mentors and external supervisors for the research projects, offering opportunities for visits and exchange of knowledge through discussions.

The Embassy said it is pleased to assist in bringing research institutes and business together for the advancement of innovation and new technology.

The Norwegian Embassy through this collaboration is further strengthening the support of 4.7 million Norwegian Kroners (Rs. 85 million) received from NORPART (Norwegian Partnership Programme for Global Academic Cooperation) for the period starting from 2017 to 2021.

In March of this year, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and the University of Jaffna signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on educational and research cooperation at Masters and PhD level.

Under the NORPART program, the two institutions collaborate on higher education and research in nanomaterials for clean energy technologies (HRCNET). Other institutions, such as the University of Bergen and the University of Agder from Norway, the University of Peradeniya from Sri Lanka, and Coimbatore Institute of Technology from India are also included as partners in this project.

(N.Sethu)

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Oil & Gas

Norwegian government wins legal battle over gas transport tariffs

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway’s government has won the latest battle in a long-running row over tariffs for transporting gas through offshore pipelines.

The country’s Borgarting Court of Appeals ruled in favour of the government last week in a lawsuit that was brought by investors in pipeline joint venture Gassled.

Solveig Gas, Silex Gas, Njord Gas Infrastructure and Infragas had argued that Norway’s decision shortly after they bought their stakes in Gassled in 2011 and 2012 to cut pipeline tariffs was unlawful and would cost them 15 billion kroner (US$1.8 billion) in lost revenue by 2028. The reduced tariffs took effect on October 1, 2016.

Last week’s unanimous decision upheld the 2015 verdict of a lower court, which said the government was acting within its rights when it cut tariffs.

However, while the state did not in that initial verdict win the right to have its costs covered by the plaintiffs, they were ordered last week to pay the government 42.2 million kroner (US$5 million).

“The state has won the case and has the right to have its costs covered” by the plaintiffs, the appeals court said.

Solveig Gas said it would consider “carefully” whether to appeal. “We will obviously continue as owners in Gassled,” its CEO Tryve Pedersen said. “We will keep Gassled running. This case never impacted in our role in Gassled.”

Silex Gas had told Reuters ahead of the latest verdict that it would consider appealing to the Supreme Court if it lost this round, but would also be open to negotiating a settlement with the Norwegian government.

“The court has emphasised the ministry did not establish transparent systems,” Silex CEO Kurt Georgsen said following last week’s verdict. “But the court has also said that there was a legal basis for the tariff reduction and that we have no basis for claims and damages.”

He declined to comment on whether Silex would now seek to sell its Gassled stake.

The four investors hold a combined 44% stake in Gassled, which is 45.8% owned by Norway’s government via state-owned Petoro. State-run Statoil also owns 5%. They paid 32 billion kroner (US$3.8 billion) for the holdings, which they acquired from ExxonMobil, Total, Statoil and Royal Dutch Shell.

The plaintiffs have until September 16 to appeal to the Supreme Court.

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Asia and Norway

Norway returns Buddha statue to protect Myanmar’s national cultural heritage

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Under the auspices of UNESCO, representatives of The Republic of the Union of Myanmar and The Kingdom of Norway finalized the repatriation of an illegally-purchased Buddha Statue to its place of origin, according to a statement. The return of the statue took place during an official handover ceremony in the presence of H.E. Mr Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, and H.E. Thura U Ko Aung, Minister of Religious Affairs and Culture, at the National Museum in Nay Pyi Taw on 6 July 2017 at 16.45.

The alabaster statue depicts Buddha in the mudra of ‘earth witness’ (bhūmisparśa), one of the most common iconic representations of Buddha images in Myanmar. Its tumultuous story dates back to 2011 when Norwegian Customs identified and prevented the illegal import of the cultural artefact. The Norwegian prosecutor confiscated the statue and after years of research, the statue was identified by experts as originating from the Mandalay region in Myanmar and estimated to be between 150 and 200 years old. Hence, as a protected cultural object, the procedure for the return to its country of origin was initiated by the Government of Norway.

Recalling that both states are parties to the UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, and bearing in mind the good relations based on mutual trust, representatives of the Governments of Norway and Myanmar, met at UNESCO in Paris on 16 January 2017 to formalize the statue’s return. The process conducted by Norwegian authorities to return the Buddha statue illustrates a best practice for thereturn of cultural property. Norway hindered the illegal import of the statue and engaged specialists to find its country of origin, thus securing a successful return to its country of origin, Myanmar.

The return of the Buddha statue furthermore marks an important step in the cultural cooperation between Myanmar and Norwegian authorities, with international counterparts, in regards to the global efforts to safeguard cultural heritage and to curb illicit trafficking. Trafficking of cultural artefacts often follow the same networks and routes as other international crime. It is, therefore, necessary to keep raising awareness about this issue and increasing international cooperation to combat such illicit trade.

From 2016 and until its repatriation, the Buddha statue remained on display at The Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, where its presentation aimed to raise public awareness about illicit trafficking of cultural artefacts. Upon its return home, the Buddha statue will be put on display at the National Museum in Nay Pyi Taw.

Under the auspices of UNESCO, representatives of The Republic of the Union of Myanmar and The Kingdom of Norway finalized the repatriation of an illegally-purchased Buddha Statue to its place of origin, according to a statement. The return of the statue took place during an official handover ceremony in the presence of H.E. Mr Børge Brende, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, and H.E. Thura U Ko Aung, Minister of Religious Affairs and Culture, at the National Museum in Nay Pyi Taw on 6 July 2017 at 16.45. The alabaster statue depicts Buddha in the mudra of ‘earth witness’ (bhūmisparśa), one of the most common iconic representations of Buddha images in Myanmar. Its tumultuous story dates back to 2011 when Norwegian Customs identified and prevented the illegal import of the cultural artefact. The Norwegian prosecutor confiscated the statue and after years of research, the statue was identified by experts as originating from the Mandalay region in Myanmar and estimated to be between 150 and 200 years old. Hence, as a protected cultural object, the procedure for the return to its country of origin was initiated by the Government of Norway. Recalling that both states are parties to the UNESCO 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, and bearing in mind the good relations based on mutual trust, representatives of the Governments of Norway and Myanmar, met at UNESCO in Paris on 16 January 2017 to formalize the statue’s return. The process conducted by Norwegian authorities to return the Buddha statue illustrates a best practice for thereturn of cultural property. Norway hindered the illegal import of the statue and engaged specialists to find its country of origin, thus securing a successful return to its country of origin, Myanmar. The return of the Buddha statue furthermore marks an important step in the cultural cooperation between Myanmar and Norwegian authorities, with international counterparts, in regards to the global efforts to safeguard cultural heritage and to curb illicit trafficking. Trafficking of cultural artefacts often follow the same networks and routes as other international crime. It is, therefore, necessary to keep raising awareness about this issue and increasing international cooperation to combat such illicit trade. From 2016 and until its repatriation, the Buddha statue remained on display at The Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, where its presentation aimed to raise public awareness about illicit trafficking of cultural artefacts. Upon its return home, the Buddha statue will be put on display at the National Museum in Nay Pyi Taw.

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Environment

Internet giant Google to start getting Norwegian wind power

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

After extensive planning and preparation, Google expects to receive its first wind power from Norway by September, the company told Reuters on Wednesday.

The Tellenes Wind Farm, located in the region surrounding the ilmenite mines at Tellenes in the municipalities of Sokndal and Lund, Norway, was started in 2016 and is expected to be completed in the fall of this year.

The wind farm will have 50 Siemens turbines, generating a total installed effect of around 160MW. It is estimated that the wind farm will annually produce about 520GWh, equal to the electricity consumption of around 25,000 Norwegian households. Not only will the wind farm be the largest in Norway, but Google’s biggest wind farm in Europe.

Last year, Google signed a 12-year contract to buy 100 percent of the wind farm’s output. Google has four European data centers, in Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland, and the power will be used to supply one or several of them, according to The Street.

“We’ll purchase power as soon as the wind farm becomes fully operational, which we expect will take place in early September 2017,” a Google spokesman told Reuters. The Tellenes Wind Farm’s first turbine is expected to start generating power by next week, said Olav Rommetveit, a spokesman for farm maker Zephyr.

“Google will not immediately get the supply. It has an exclusive contract for 12 years and they will begin getting the electricity at some point after commercial operations begin,” said Rommetveit. The electricity produced until the wind farm reaches full capacity later this year will be sold on the Nord Pool power exchange.

Swedish wind power company, Arise, will be the farm’s operator.

(digitaljournal)

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Diplomatic relations

Norway’s Foreign Affairs Minister visits Singapore, reaffirms relations between two countries

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Minister for Foreign Affairs for Norway Borge Brende is in Singapore on a working visit from Tuesday (July 4) to Wednesday (July 5), according to a press release by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr Brende was hosted to lunch by Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on Tuesday.

During the lunch, they reaffirmed the excellent bilateral relations between both countries, which share common interests as like-minded small states, said the release. They also exchanged views on recent regional and international developments.

Mr Brende will meet Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam on Wednesday (July 5), before departing Singapore for Myanmar the same day.

(N.Sethu from Singapore )

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Defence

Pentagon seeks increased P-8 ties with Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The United States, United Kingdom and Norway have agreed in principal to create a trilateral coalition built around the P-8 maritime aircraft — though exactly what that means remains unclear.

The Pentagon announced June 29 that the three countries had established a “statement of intent to lay out guiding principles for a trilateral partnership with P-8A aircraft.” In addition, the announcement said the nations are working on a “framework for further cooperation in areas such as readiness, enhancing defense capability, and interoperability.”

A defense official, speaking on background, told media that nothing is “set in stone,” and this is just a first step toward coordinating around the aircraft. Potential areas of cooperation include joint operations in the North Atlantic, information sharing and the possibility of co-locating maintenance and training assets.

The last point would seem to build on a November pledge between the U.K. and Norway to find ways to jointly drive down costs for the maritime surveillance plane. The U.K. plans on buying nine P-8s, while Norway has agreed to purchase five of the Boeing-made planes.

Given the shared area of responsibility and the small fleet sizes for both nations, analysts believe cooperation around the P-8 is a no-brainer. And while the U.S. has a larger fleet, being able to share assets such as maintenance will help bring costs down and keep readiness rates high for American assets surveilling the waters near Europe.

Asked in December about forming some sort of P-8 coalition between the three nations, Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work said, “We haven’t had something like this since the Cold War, … and that just opens up a whole new level of possibilities for us to in the future do collaborative and coordinated operations.”

“When you have that interoperability and you can land and get servicing wherever you land — wash racks, maintenance hangars you can use — it just makes it a lot easier,” Work told Defense News on Dec. 4.

Vice Adm. Joseph Rixey, the outgoing head of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, said in September that he wanted to expand a recent program that allows NATO allies to pool their resources and buy as a group from the U.S., holding up the P-8 as an example where nations could find joint savings.

“Imagine what you could do with lead nation procurement if you could get something like the P-8 — maybe not the P-8 itself, but certainly all the support, the sonobuoys, the spares, everything associated with it that you could buy — in batch quantities and not have to worry about third-party transfer restrictions,” Rixey said then.

(defensenews)

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Environment

Norway to ban the use of oil for heating buildings by 2020

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

‘Those using fossil oil for heating must find other options by 2020,’ says country’s Environment Minister.

Norway is set to become the first country in the entire world to ban the use of gas to heat buildings.

The Scandinavian country, which is the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas outside the Middle East, will wholly stop the use of both oil and paraffin to warm buildings from 2020 onwards.

The country, which hopes to ban the sale of all fossil fuel-based cars by 2025, has made a concerted effort to introduce policies which shrink domestic emission of greenhouse gases.

Vidar Helgesenlaid, the nation’s Environment Minister, laid out the plans in a statement, saying: “Those using fossil oil for heating must find other options by 2020.”

The country advises its citizens to research alternatives to oil such as heat pumps, hydroelectricity, and even special stoves that burn wood chips. By some stage, the legislation could be widened to include restrictions on using natural gas to heat buildings.

The Ministry of Climate and Environment said the ban would apply to both new and old buildings and cover both private homes and the public space of businesses and state-owned facilities.

The ministry says the plans are expected to lessen Norway’s emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases by an estimated 340,000 tonnes per year, compared to overall national emissions of 53.9 million tonnes in 2015.

Marius Holm, head of ZERO, a foundation that campaigns hard for cuts in emissions, celebrated the unprecedented policy change, saying: “This is a very important climate measure that significantly cuts emissions, sending a powerful signal that we are moving from fossil to renewable energy.”

Green organisations argue the fossil ban is something of a contradiction in terms given the country, which paradoxically is both an oil giant and a climate leader, gets half its export revenues from crude oil and natural gas.

Nevertheless, the new measure could pave way for other countries to follow suit as the building sector is a massive CO2 emitter. In the US, it accounts for 39 per cent of CO2 emissions.

Norway, which is widely seen to be becoming one of the most ecologically progressive countries worldwide, became the first country in the world to commit to zero deforestation last year.

The Norwegian parliament promised the government’s public procurement policy will become deforestation-free after a committee of MPs recommended imposing regulations to ensure the state did “not contribute to deforestation of the rainforest”.

Norway funds forest conservation projects worldwide and also supports human rights programmes for forest communities.

(independent)

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Science

Nordex receives order for eleven N117/3600 turbines from Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Nordex Group has secured a follow-up order from Norway. For Midtfjellet Vindkraft AS, a long-standing customer, the manufacturer will be supplying eleven N117/3600 turbines for the Midtfjellet III wind farm on the island of Stord in the south-west of Norway. Delivery and installation of the turbines is scheduled for spring 2018. The owner of the project is the joint venture comprising Aquila Capital, based in Hamburg, and the local energy suppliers and power plant operators Fitjar Kraftlag SA, Østfold Energi Vind AS and Vardar Boreas AS. The customer also signed a Premium Service Agreement for a period of five years with the option to prolong it twice for five years.

Midtfjellet III is an extension of the Midtfjellet I and II, with a total of 44 turbines and 110 MW, installed by Nordex in 2012 and 2013. As of 2018 the number of Nordex turbines there will be increased to 55, then with 149.6 MW. With average wind speeds of 8.4 m/s, in future the eleven new N117/3600 turbines alone will generate more than 138,800 MWh of additional clean electricity a year for the municipality of Fitjar. Nordex is fitting serrations to the trailing edge of the turbines in order to reduce overall noise emission in the wind field.

“Together Midtfjellet I and II are the largest wind farms in Norway, with very high production figures. The site is extremely demanding due to the perfect wind conditions. The fact that Midtfjellet Vindkraft AS has now engaged us for the second extension at this site is a clear indication of the confidence placed in our team and our turbines,” says Patxi Landa, Chief Sales Officer of Nordex SE.

(N.Sethu)

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Srilanka and Norway

Norway delegation to inspect Uma Oya project in Sri Lanka

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Sri Lankan President’s Media Unit says Norwegian experts will arrive in the country to inspect the Uma Oya Multi Purpose Project next month.

The communique was issued following a meeting presided over by President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday night.

The discussion took place with the participation of persons who have been severely affected by the Uma Oya Project, and their public representatives.

The president had instructed that the needs of the people be prioritised, and that the future course of action that needs to be taken with regard to the project, be looked into.

The communique also noted that issues surrounding houses, water, and farmlands, should be swiftly resolved with the assistance of the relevant ministry officials.

“We got a message from Norway that a group of experts will arrive in the country in the first week of next month”, the president said, “We will be able to reach a decision based on the advise that we obtain from these experts”.

The President said that a Norwegian Specialist team is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka at the first week of August and a specialist from Germany has already started to investigate the environmental impact of the project.

He said that adding according to their ideas and suggestions, the Government will consider the possibility of taking forward this project while resolving the existing issues, minimizing the damages and utilizing the modern technology to a maximum level.

The residents claim that over 7,000 homes have been damaged by the construction of the massive underground tunnels being dug for the project and the fresh water springs and reservoirs have dried up in many areas in the Uva Province.

The multi-purpose project involves the construction of two reservoirs on tributaries of the Uma Oya, which flows down from central hills and join the Mahaweli River, and one tunnel on the Uma Oya to divert water to a power generator further downstream.

The water will be diverted to Kirindi Oya basin which will take water to Hambantota through the 25 km long underground tunnel across mountains in Bandarawela by creating a dam at Puhulpola in Welimada and a reservoir in Diaraba.

The project at an estimated cost of US$ 529 million was launched by the previous government in 2012 with a US$ 450 million loan from Iran.

Ministers Mahinda Amaraweera, Harin Fernando, Vijith Vijithamuni Soysa, Uva Province Chief Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayaka, Uva Provincial Councilor Samantha Vidyarathna, Secretary for the Mahaweli Development & Environment Anura Dissanayake, Deputy Project Director of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development project P.B. Amarasekara also participated in the meeting.

(N.Sethu)

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Defence

Germany, Norway join Netherlands and Luxembourg to operate pooled fleet of NATO tankers

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Germany and Norway have officially joined the European/NATO programme to acquire Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft along with Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The two nations committed to participating in the project through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at NATO HQ in Brussels today.

Known as the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF) the programme was initiated by the European Defence Agency in 2012. Europe’s organisation for the management of cooperative armament programmes – OCCAR – manages the MMF acquisition phase as Contract Executing Agent on behalf of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA).

The Programme is funded by the four nations who will have the exclusive right to use these NATO–owned aircraft which will operate in a pooling arrangement. The aircraft will be configured for in-flight refuelling, the transport of passengers and cargo, and medical evacuation flights.

According to Airbus, the first two aircraft have already been ordered to be delivered from Airbus Defence and Space’s tanker conversion line at Getafe near Madrid in 2020. Five additional aircraft will now be ordered, and that order will include options for up to four further aircraft.

OCCAR Director, Arturo Alfonso-Meiriño said:

“The MMF programme has broken new ground in bringing together the combined capabilities of the EDA, NSPA and OCCAR as one team, with each organisation working within its particular sphere of expertise. I very much welcome that this important initiative has now attracted additional partners to join, and it still includes options for the participation of even more countries.”

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq said:

“The MMF is a prime example of European defence cooperation which shows that once a capability shortfall has been jointly identified, European nations can pull together, work on a common project aimed at filling the gap, and eventually deliver. It’s Pooling & Sharing at its best.”

Airbus Defence and Space Head of Military Aircraft Fernando Alonso said:

“The A330 MRTT has established itself firmly as the world’s premier tanker/transport aircraft. It is extremely satisfying to now see it adopted as the core asset of one of Europe’s most important cooperative defence programmes. We hope that this collaborative approach will serve as a model for future joint procurements.”

(ukdefencejournal)

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NATO and Norway

NATO and EU discuss future cooperation at sea

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Policy experts, diplomats and military representatives met on Friday (30 June 2017) to discuss maritime cooperation between NATO and the European Union. The meeting, hosted at Norway House in Brussels, was designed to draw lessons for future cooperation at sea, building on NATO-EU experience in countering piracy in the Indian Ocean and working side-by-side in the Mediterranean. Participants discussed all aspects of maritime cooperation: from planning through execution and post-crisis management, as well as legal considerations and the contributions of industry.

NATO and the European Union have built a solid track record of effective cooperation in the maritime domain. NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield and the EU’s Operation Atalanta worked side-by-side for several years, fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia. NATO and the EU have also worked together in the Mediterranean. Since February 2016, NATO ships have been supporting the EU in tackling illegal migration in the Aegean Sea. In July 2016, NATO launched a new maritime operation, Sea Guardian, which supports some of EU Operation Sophia’s activities in the Mediterranean Sea.

The seminar is part of 42 cooperation measures which NATO and the EU agreed in December 2016. The event is organised with the support of the Mission to Norway to the EU and the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU.

NATO and the European Union reinforce each other in a wide range of areas, from cooperation at sea, through resilience to hybrid threats, to helping build the defence capacities of partner countries. In a joint report, presented yesterday to NATO Ministers of Defence, NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg and EU High Representative / Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini confirmed that this cooperation is developing  well and will continue, potentially expanding to new areas.

(NATO, N.Sethu)

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Media Freedom

Norway press groups protest Al Jazeera closure call

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Three journalist associations say ‘ban on any media outlet is an outrageous attempt to censure’ public debate.

Journalist associations in Norway representing thousands of media workers have strongly criticised a Saudi-led campaign to have the Al Jazeera network and other regional media outlets shut down amid a Gulf diplomatic crisis.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Norwegian Press Association, the Norwegian Union of Journalists and Association of Norwegian Editors added their voice to a large number of news organisations and trade groups that have declared their support for the Qatar-based broadcaster against calls for its closure.

“The signatory organisations strongly encourage the authorities of Saudi Arabia to respect that media, editors and journalists every day make an important contribution of keeping the people in the Arab countries and in the rest of the world informed of what is happening,” the three associations said.

The groups voiced their “strong disappointment” over what they described as an “attack on one of the key human rights” and requested “that freedom of expression and freedom of press” is respected.

“We emphasise that the Middle East, as the rest of the world, needs media companies to report news and current events, and give the public information and background analysis on what, when, how and why they occur,” they said.

“A ban on any media outlet is an outrageous attempt to censure the public debate. In a conflicted world, freedom of press is more important than ever.”

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed sanctions on the country on June 5, accusing it of supporting “terrorism”. The allegation is rejected by Doha.

After more than two weeks, the four Arab countries issued a 13-point demand list on Friday in exchange for the end of the anti-Qatar measures and gave a 10-day deadline.

The demands included the closure of all news outlets that Qatar allegedly funds, directly and indirectly, including Arabi21, Rassd, Al Araby Al Jadeed, Mekameleen and Middle East Eye.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the New York Times editorial board and The Guardian have all condemned the efforts to pressure Qatar into shutting down Al Jazeera.

David Kaye, the United Nations special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, has also rejected the demand to close Al Jazeera, saying that such a move would be “a major blow to media pluralism”.

Al Jazeera has described the Saudi-led campaign as “nothing but an attempt to silence the freedom of expression in the region and to suppress people’s right to information and the right to be heard”.

“We are stunned by the demand to close Al Jazeera,” Giles Trendle, the acting managing director of Al Jazeera’s English-language service said. “Of course, there has been talk about it in the past, but it is still a great shock and surprise to actually see it in writing. It’s as absurd as it would be for Germany to demand Britain to close the BBC.”

Trendle said Al Jazeera is going to continue its “editorial mission of covering the world news in a fair and balanced way”.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s foreign minister, has said that Al Jazeera Media Network is an “internal affair” and there will be no discussion about its fate during the diplomatic crisis.

Source: Al Jazeera News

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NATO and Norway

Germany and Norway join multinational fleet of tanker-transport aircraft

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

NATO has taken an important step in improving its ability to refuel aircraft in mid-air, with two Allies joining a European programme to acquire and operate new tanker transport aircraft.

Defence Ministers from Germany and Norway joined a Memorandum of Understanding for a European multinational fleet of Airbus tanker transport aircraft, originally created by the lead-nation Netherlands and Luxembourg. The two countries launched the initiative in July 2016 by ordering two Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft, which are due to be delivered in 2020. With Germany and Norway joining the initiative, the fleet is expected to expand to up to seven aircraft.

This multinational fleet arrangement is a concrete step towards reducing the overall European shortage in air-to-air refueling and the over-reliance on U.S. capabilities. At today’s signing ceremony, Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Camille Grand stressed that “this initiative highlights the value of a multinational approach to capability development – working together provides cost-effective and flexible solutions.”

Belgium intends to join this programme in early 2018, and the initiative remains open to other new members. The procurement programme is another example of the increasingly close cooperation between NATO and the European Union.

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Economics

Norway SWF should be spun off from central bank, commission says

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway’s NOK8.1trn (€855bn) oil fund should be managed separately from the country’s central bank now that it has grown so big, a government commission has proposed.

The Ministry of Finance announced last week that a commission set up to review Norges Bank and the Norwegian monetary system had recommended that the oil fund be managed by a separate statutory entity.

Currently the Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) – Europe’s largest sovereign wealth fund – is managed by Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), which is part of Norges Bank.

Svein Gjedrem, chair of the commission, said: “Both central banking and investment management place greater demands on the board, senior management, and the organisation than earlier.”

The GPFG has doubled in size in the past five years as a result of the country’s revenue from its petroleum activities and investment returns. At the end of 2012 it had NOK3.8trn under management.

Gjedrem said the two activities – central banking and investment management – differed in nature, and the scope of the tasks involved was substantial.

“With two separate entities, the professional competence and the governing bodies can more easily be tailored to the task at hand,” he said.

In the report it has presented to the ministry, the commission proposed that NBIM be set up as a separate statutory entity along the lines of the Folketrygdfondet, the manager of the GPFG’s smaller counterpart, the Government Pension Fund Norway (GPFN), which invests only in the Nordic region.

The new entity should have a government-appointed board, the commission said. The Ministry of Finance would continue to define the fund’s investment mandate, and parliament would still approve important changes to that mandate.

Gjedrem emphasised that the proposed separation had to be carried out “in a sound manner and must not in any other respect affect the framework for the fund”.

Fund split ruled out

The commission cautioned against dividing GPFG into several entities, arguing this would entail extra costs and management challenges.

The ministry said: “It is not meaningful in this case to create competition between government-controlled investment entities.”

In neighbouring Sweden, the separation of the country’s national pensions buffer capital into several funds – the AP funds – has often been a matter of public debate.

“The commission would also caution against using the fund as an instrument of foreign policy, business policy, regional policy, or environmental policy,” the ministry added.

The commission also warned against the fund becoming “a government budget number two” for purposes not prioritised in the annual budget process.

In order to safeguard the fund’s role in overall economic policy, however, the commission proposed that the fund’s goal was defined in the Government Pension Fund Act in a way that emphasised its function as a source of financing of the welfare state across generations.

“The requirement of the highest possible return at an acceptable and carefully weighed risk level is thus of particular importance,” the commission said.

The GPFG had to be a responsible investor, and its current practice of investing abroad should be established by law, it added. Gjedrem said: “This would reflect the fund’s role as a pillar for financing the welfare state and its role as a savings fund for the nation.”

The GPFG is the third-largest institutional investor in the world, according to IPE’s Top 1000 Pension Funds report for 2016.

(ipe)

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Nobel Peace Prize

Chinese Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo Released on Parole With Liver Cancer

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The Norwegian Nobel Committee condemned the Chinese authorities in a rare statement.

Liu Xiaobo, the first and so far the only Chinese citizen who has won the Nobel Peace Prize, has been released from Chinese prison on medical parole with liver cancer diagnosis.  The news has been widely transmitted around the world, yet in mainland China, only a few Chinese people were able to get access to the information through the Great Firewall.

On June 26, Liaoning Provincial Prison Administration released a brief statement about Liu’s release:

Liu Xiaobo, the prisoner of Jinzhou prison in Liaoning Province, was diagnosed with liver cancer. Recently, the Liaoning Provincial Prison Administration lawfully approved Liu’s medical parole. The First Hospital of China Medical University has formed a medical treatment group composed by eight well-known domestic cancer experts to treat Liu. Liu Xiaobo is receiving medical treatment accordingly.

Soon, Liu’s lawyer Shang Baojun verified the news to multiple media and acknowledged that Liu’s liver cancer is already in the late stage. A Hong Kong online magazine, Duan, posted a short video of Liu’s wife, Liu Xia, who cried and talked about her husband’s condition in a staccato sentence:  “[They] cannot perform surgery, or radiotherapy, or chemotherapy.”

Liu Xiaobo, 61, a famous writer and commentator on Chinese politics, was sentenced to 11 years in Chinese prison in late 2009 for “subversion of state power.” He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. Liu’s good friend Mo Zhixu told the Hong Kong magazine that in the prison, “Liu lived an isolated life. He had a piece of land to grow vegetables or to run around. But he was completely isolated from the outside world or other people.” In the eight years Liu was in prison, Mo added, “no book could be sent to him … for an intellectual, a life that is completely isolated from information is a harsh torture.”

Facing Liu’s current situation, the Norwegian Nobel Committee released a rare statement on June 26, condemning the Chinese authorities with unusually strong words. It said:

…the Committee strongly regrets that it took serious illness before Chinese authorities were willing to release him from jail. Liu Xiaobo has fought a relentless struggle in favor of democracy and human rights in China and has already paid a heavy price for his involvement. He was, essentially, convicted for exercising his freedom of speech and should never have been sentenced to jail in the first place. Chinese authorities carry a heavy responsibility if Liu Xiaobo, because of his imprisonment, has been denied necessary medical treatment. The Committee hopes that he will now be released without conditions and offered the best possible treatment for his illness, whether it be in China or abroad.

However, no single piece of information about Liu’s release or his health has been officially published in mainland China. Any information posted to Chinese social media, such as Weibo and WeChat, has been thoroughly and instantly deleted by Chinese censors.

Chinese censors not only deleted information related to Liu in social media, but also struck out relevant information in official transcripts. According to BBC Chinese, at a regular press briefing on June 26, a journalist asked Geng Shuang, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, about Liu, but Geng said he knew nothing about it. Yet the brief dialogue was not recorded in the official transcript.

In an interview conducted by AFP, US embassy spokeswoman Mary Beth Polley said: “We call on the Chinese authorities to not only release Mr. Liu but also to allow his wife Ms. Liu Xia out of house arrest.”

On June 27, a journalist again asked the Chinese Foreign Ministry about Liu and China’s reply to the U.S. criticism at the regular press briefing.

According to the BBC, spokesperson Lu Kang replied: “China is a country with rule of law. Everyone is equal before the law. All other countries should respect China’s judicial independence and sovereignty and should not use any so-called individual case to interfere in China’s internal affairs.”

Not surprisingly, Lu’s reply was not recorded in the official transcript either.

Regardless of the harsh censorship, some Chinese netizens still tried their best to transmit the information on social media with their own cipher codes. Other talked vaguely about the importance of “conscience.”

Ironically, the word conscience in Chinese is “liangzhi,” which literally means “good knowledge.”Perhaps the Chinese ancestors who coined the word already knew that “good knowledge” is the precondition for an accurate conscience, and the best way to tar people’s conscience is to block information.

(the diplomat)

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Defence

US Marines extend rotational training and exercises in Norway through to 2018

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

The US Marines’ rotational training and exercises currently taking place in Norway have been extended by one year to 2018, the Norwegian Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide has confirmed.

Approximately 330 marines have been stationed in the Norwegian village of Vaernes on a rotational basis since January. The new arrangement will see personnel continue to rotate beyond this year, with two rotations slated for both 2017 and 2018.

US Marine Corps (USMC) Forces Europe and Africa commander major general Niel E. Nelson said that the decision to extend the presence of the marine rotational force in Norway supports the US’ commitment to Nato.

It is also expected to strengthen the partnership between the two countries on defence and security.

Nelson said: “Our Marines in Norway are demonstrating a high level of cooperation with our allies.

“The more we train together alongside one another, the stronger our alliance becomes.”

Norway is considered a close ally of the US, and is reportedly set to increase its defence budget and commit to the procurement of critical capabilities.

Both countries are focused on strengthening the development of joint leaders and teams who understand the synergy of air, sea, and land power as a potent asymmetric advantage in the battlefield.

“Approximately 330 marines have been stationed in the Norwegian village of Vaernes on a rotational basis since January.”

The Norwegian Parliament approved the renewal of an agreement in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Governing Prestockage and Reinforcement of Norway in 2006, which paved the way for a considerable increase of US training and exercise presence in Norway.

The US Department of Defense also confirmed the establishment of the limited rotational force presence of American marines in Norway in October.

USMC’s presence in Norway has offered improved opportunities for mutual exercises and enhanced interoperability.

Various other rotational training and exercise activities have taken place at other locations in Norway, in addition to the Vaernes-based operations.

Image: US Marines, Marine Rotational Force 17.1 sailors and soldiers with Norwegian Home Guard 12 during an exercise in Norway. Photo: courtesy of Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Emily Dorumsgaard.

(naval-technology)

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Science

Norway implements key wireless network at sea

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan
Leading Norwegian companies Kongsberg Seatex and Radionor have joined forces to develop Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR) system that will enable exchange of information crucial in limiting damage when accidents occur.
MBR, in contrast to previous systems, is highly stable and with extensive reach. Among other capabilities, it enables streaming of HD-video, said a statement from Kongsberg Seatex.
The system does not require an Internet connection to connect units in the network, though it is possible to transfer data from the network using Internet, it stated.
Kongsberg Seatex said Norway was the first nation in the world to implement maritime broadband communication on ships and planes in public service.
On board ships and aircraft
The Coastal Administration and NOFO (Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies) are the first in the world to  deploy the Norwegian-developed and produced innovation, stated the company.
The Coastal Administration will install MBR on all its oil recovery vessels, and on 10 additional vessels with oil recovery equipment on board. NOFO will do the same with all its oil recovery vessels, it added.
Kongsberg Seatex pointed out that MBR has already been installed on the surveillance aircraft LN-KYV, a joint initiative between the Coastal Administration, NOFO and the Norwegian Coast Guard.
In the event of a critical oil spill, MBR will enable significantly faster and higher quality exchange of information between the various units engaged in a response effort. Images, maps and video can be transferred instantaneously, and response can be initiated based on a shared, real-time awareness of the situation, said Kjetil Aasebø, senior advisor in the coastal administration.
“This is a significant improvement that allows us to communicate with all units participating in an oil recovery mission, and share the data without an Internet connection. MBR allows us to respond faster with the right actions,” he added.-
(TANS)
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Politics

Norway honours World War Two veteran, aged 92

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

A 92-year-old man has been awarded a Norwegian Medal of Honour for the role he played in liberating the country 72 years ago.

Kenneth Foster, from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, served as a telegrapher on HMS Viceroy during World War Two.

It was responsible for sinking two U-boats and played a key role in freeing Norwegian towns from the Germans.

Mr Foster said the honour was “out of the blue” and “after all these years, you don’t expect it”.

The Honorary Consul Nigel Fletcher presented the medal on behalf of the Norwegian embassy at a ceremony at Trowbridge Town Hall.

Mr Foster, who is a member of the White Ensign Association, said: “It’s a big day for me. The whole thing was out of the blue and, after all these years, you don’t expect it.

“To start with I was fearful of the sea because I wasn’t a very good sailor.

“You had to get used to it — a ship which, we used to say, would roll on wet grass it was so unstable.

“But there was no point in being frightened of anything else because this was what you’d volunteered for.”

His role was to transport Norwegians, who had been exiled in the UK for over four years, back to Stavanger as the war was ending.

“I think I was the youngest on board and here we are, I’m approaching 92 so there’s not much chance of the others being with us.

“I know that all the others I kept in contact with have gone, sadly, but when I receive that medal I’ll be thinking that this is on behalf of them as well.”

(BBC)

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Defence

Russia warns Norway not to ‘escalate tensions’ amid plans to host 330 US Marines

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

RUSSIA has told Norway that their diplomatic ties will suffer as a result of the country’s decision to host 330 US Marines for longer than first anticipated.

Norway announced this week that the US Marines will remain in the country until the end of 2018, a year longer than planned.

On Saturday, the Russian Embassy in Norway said: “We have repeatedly explained our point of view on the issue of setting up a US military base in the territory of Norway.

“We consider that this step contradicts Norwegian policy of not deploying foreign military bases in the country in times of peace, steps out of line of the traditions of good neighbourhood, makes Norway not fully predictable partner, can also escalate tension and lead to destabilisation of the situation in the Northern region,’ the embassy’s administrator wrote on Facebook.

“We see it as an element of the US-led military preparations that have intensified against the background of the anti-Russian propagandist hysteria.”

The US force arrived in Norway in January and is based near the city of Trondheim, 900 miles from the Russian border.

Russia’s claims come amid rising tensions between Washington and Moscow after the US shot down a Syrian jet which it claims targeted American-allied rebels.

Russia warned it will treat US-led coalition planes in Syria west of the Euphrates as targets as the nation’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov described the shooting as a “dangerous escalation”.

But the US Central Command said they had shot the plane out of the sky last Sunday in “self-defence” as it flew over the war-torn country.

Reacting to the incident, Mr Ryabkov said it was an “act of aggression and support of terrorists”.

He said: “What is it then, if not an act of aggression, an act directly in breach of international law.

“If you want, it’s actually help for the terrorists the US is fighting, declaring that they are conducting a counterterrorism policy.”

The US-led coalition issued a statement, which said: “The Coalition’s mission is to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria.The Coalition does not seek to fight Syrian regime, Russian, or pro-regime forces partnered with them, but will not hesitate to defend Coalition or partner forces from any threat.

“The Coalition presence in Syria addresses the imminent threat ISIS in Syria poses globally. The demonstrated hostile intent and actions of pro-regime forces toward Coalition and partner forces in Syria conducting legitimate counter-ISIS operations will not be tolerated.

“The Coalition calls on all parties to focus their efforts on the defeat of ISIS, which is our common enemy and the greatest threat to regional and worldwide peace and security.”

(express)

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NATO and Norway

Norway supports Macedonia’s NATO and EU integration

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Norway supports Macedonia’s accession to NATO and EU and is ready to assist in the process, Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende said after Friday’s meeting in Skopje with the Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov.

Brende said that Norway has a strong partnership with Macedonia and has long historical ties.

We support government’s aspirations for membership in Euro-Atlantic organisations and we are focused on developing inclusion in Macedonia. I hope that there will be efficient cooperation in the parliament. What can one learn from Norway’s history is that 100 years ago we were one of the poorest countries and now we are one of the developed which was enabled by inclusion and democracy, Brende said at joint press conference with Dimitrov.

Dimitrov said that although this was their first meeting, it was cordial and open.

This is first visit of Norwegian Foreign Minister in over six years. We talked about the relations between the two countries, which are close and friendly. Next year, we the countries will celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations and has the potential to develop in many areas, said Dimitrov.

He told that he presented to Brende priorities of the new government, NATO and EU integration, the area of good neighbourly relations, in regard to sphere of strong institutions, rule of law and free media.

Norway continues its support to our road to NATO as previously. Especially at this moment for the region, support for invitation to join NATO will have a very calming and beneficial effect for Macedonia, the Balkans and the Alliance, Dimitrov said.

Asked whether he plans to visit other neighbouring countries following Bulgaria’s visit, Dimitrov said he wants Macedonia to have very close and friendly relations with all.

– Today Brende, who was kind and invited us on the Norwegian plane we are to head together in Belgrade at the inauguration of President Vucic. We had election cycles in Albania and Kosovo and we already have communication very soon we are to visit these countries. Any success of a country in the Balkans is a success for the entire region; we will either succeed together or go down. With such a message we will visit all countries, Dimitrov said.

In regard to journalist question what is included in the agreement on good neighbourly relations with Bulgaria, Dimitrov said when negotiating through publicity and public statements the outcome is worse, while the result is better when negotiations are conducted behind closed doors, it will be assessed when the public should be fully involved.

I can say that the basis of this agreement is the declaration signed by the prime ministers of both countries in 1999. The Macedonian language is included in the declaration and the agreement will not be changed from that declaration, Dimitrov.

He underlined that if Macedonia has a European democracy and courts, which are prerequisites for economic prosperity and good neighbourly relations with its neighbors, it will probably become more attractive for EU members and that in some way we will be more interesting then, when our membership will become less important.

Brende asked whether the Kingdom of Norway is considering re-opening an embassy in Macedonia, he answered that they are reviewing all possibilities for intensifying the partnership with Macedonia.

Brende is to meet Friday with President Gjorge Ivanov and PM Zoran Zaev.

(Macedonian Information Agency)

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Asia and Norway

Iran’s Tejarat Bank Opening Branch in Norway

by Nadarajah Sethurupan
written by Nadarajah Sethurupan

Tejarat Bank, a major Iranian lender, is to open a branch in Norway as banking ties with the Scandinavian country gathers pace, announced the Second Secretary for Economic Affairs with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Tehran in a meeting with the international affairs deputy of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture.

“I can announce the good news that banking ties will be established between a number of Norwegian and Iranian banks soon, including Tejarat Bank which is to open a Norway branch in the foreseeable future,” Martin Eide was quoted as saying by the official news website of the ICCIMA.

Regarding banking ties, he added in his meeting with Mohammad Reza Karbasi, “we have reached several agreements which will be implemented soon”.

Karbasi pointed to the economic structure of both countries which are similar since oil, gas and petrochemical products from the majority of their exports and major parts of their sectors are state-run. This, he said, would help the countries to expand their collaborations.

The official also referred to the trade deals of Iran and Norway, saying even though the volume has increased during the past year, it is still very low and a focus must be put on taking it higher.

“We are very optimistic about the future of Iran’s economy and Iranian businessmen are highly enthusiastic about working with Norwegian companies,” Karbasi said, adding that the main focus is on increasing ties in energy, fisheries, renewable energies, mining and shipbuilding industries.

The ICCIMA member expressed hope that with removing banking hurdles and developing suitable financial instruments, Iranian and Norwegian companies will be able to take their cooperation to the next level and their private sectors would also be able to expand their ties.

According to him, the Iran Chamber is after forming a joint Iran-Norway chamber of commerce. In tandem with overcoming banking problems, he added, forming a joint chamber will clear the way for expanding economic ties.

Karbasi officially invited Norwegian companies to engage in joint investments in Iran, adding that in line with this, “we will collect various projects from across the country and introduce them to the Norwegian embassy and other foreign embassies”.

He added that the ICCMIA is ready to welcome trade, economic and official delegations from Norway and hold economic forums for them. It is also ready to send trade delegations of its own to the Scandinavian nation.

Optimism in Relations

Eide responded positively by saying the Norwegian side is very willing to engage in joint investment ventures, saying they are ready to receive the list from the Iranian side and explore the possibilities.

Facilitation of issuing visas for Iranian traders was also one of the subjects emphasized on by the ICCMA international affairs deputy who said it will create the grounds for the progress of trade ties between the two countries.

Furthermore, he brought up the notion of forming a joint Iran-Norway economic commission.

The official with the Norwegian embassy in Tehran reassured that “we are currently trying to ease the process of issuing visas for traders and the waiting period as much as possible” and headway has been made.

For example, he said, if there are no problems with the documents, the Schengen visa for traders will be issued more easily and at a shorter period compared with the past.

(financialtribune)

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