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USD 1 = NOK 7.00 No. 08 - 2 March 1993
CONTENTS:
Godal satisfied with EEA agreement (1)
Norway ecstatic over ski victories (2)
Uphill battle for Hydro (3)
Changes in South Africa policy (4)
Sensational first performance will highlight Bergen Festival (5-6)
Power to the Swedes (7)
Combating corrosion (8)
Norway's landscapes well protected (9)
Safeguard against water damage (10)
norinform/1 2 March 1993
GODAL SATISFIED WITH EEA AGREEMENT
The Norwegian Minister of Trade, Bjoern Tore Godal, is satisfied with
the renegotiated EEA agreement. He says that it is essential for the EFTA
countries as well as the EC, and that exporters of wholesome Norwegian food
can now launch an offensive on the European market. The Minister stresses
that the adjustments in the agreement, which in part require EFTA
to cover two thirds of Switzerland's intended share of a solidarity fund,
still have to be accepted at a conference of diplomats. In addition, the
EEA must be ratified by 18 national EFTA and EC parliaments. However, he is
still confident that the EEA will start on 1 July as planned. Per
Myklebost, who represents the Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions (LO) in
Brussels, says the agreement is reasonably good.
The Socialist Left Party opposes the European Economic Area and argues that
the new agreement is more expensive and less satisfactory than the version
ratified by the Storting last autumn. Party spokesman, Paul Chaffey, claims
that a three-quarter Storting majority will again be required to legally
pass the changes. The Government plans to put the amended protocol to the
national assembly as a supplementary bill, and considers the changes to be so
insignificant as to only require a simple majority.
The agrarian Centre Party is also sceptical to the new EEA pact. The
party's parliamentary leader, Johan J. Jakobsen, fears that pressure
from southern Europe could increase food imports and outweigh any
increase in Norwegian agricultural exports.
(norinform)
norinform/2 2 March 1993
NORWAY ECSTATIC OVER SKI VICTORIES
Norway is currently basking in the glow of being the almost unchallenged
world champion in skiing. This was amply demonstrated at the recently
completed World Skiing Championships - Nordic disciplines - which were held
at Falun in Sweden. Nordic disciplines comprise cross country, jumping and
Nordic combination.
The Norwegian team snapped up six gold, three silver and five bronze medals.
The closest rival was Russia with three gold, two silver and three bronze.
In a total of 15 events the outstanding name was Norwegian Bjoern
Daehlie, who took three gold medals home to Norway.
During the three days of the championships Norwegians talked of little else
and the whole nation rejoiced in the victories of its team. King Harald
attended several of the events.
There is now a widely expressed hope that the zest of Norway's skiers and
their 100 per cent professionalism will in some way be communicated to
Norwegian business and industry. A number of cooperation projects are
already under way.
Norway's extraordinary performance has also been noted abroad. Travel
and tourism offices claim that the achievements of the country's ski team
are a powerful stimulus in promoting Norway as a holiday destination for
German and Japanese tourists.
(norinform)
norinform/3 2 March 1993
UPHILL BATTLE FOR HYDRO
Low prices for Hydro's main products, compounded by huge currency losses,
made 1992 a poor year for Norsk Hydro, the diversified conglomerate
which was formerly the flagship of Norwegian industry. The fact that
Hydro formally emerged from 1992 with a surplus of almost USD 260 million was
ascribable solely to its new practice of keeping accounts in accordance with
US rules, a practice which, on paper, turns the result on its head.
Turnover fell by USD 370 million last year to end at USD 8.3 billion;
operating profits totalled USD 410 million. After taxes Hydro cleared a
profit of USD 250 million, but after adjustments this was turned to a USD 28
million deficit. This was weaker than expected, but an improvement on 1991,
when the after tax deficit was USD 71 million.
Hydro's agricultural division is up against the wall. Last year it was
unable to trim costs at the same pace as the drop in sales of its main
product, artificial fertiliser. A 10 per cent fall in prices was not
outweighed by the USD 64 million cut in costs. But the division's deficit of
USD 34 million was nevertheless an improvement on the USD 93 million
loss recorded in 1991, and continued cost cutting is expected to bring good
results on the longer term.
In the oil and natural gas sector Hydro posted a profit of USD 370
million, slightly up on last year's figure. Petrochemical products showed
a USD 41 million profit. Fighting on a tough market, Hydro also managed to
post a profit of USD 77 million in the light metals division.
(norinform)
norinform/4 2 March 1993
CHANGES IN SOUTH AFRICA POLICY
The Norwegian Government has decided to lift its economic sanctions
against South Africa on a step-by-step basis. The boycotts on trade,
investments and exchange of services will be lifted on 15 March. Sales
of petroleum to South Africa will still be prohibited, and the weapons
embargo will be maintained, supporting the UN Security Council resolution
which is still in effect.
According to the current plan, a multi-party conference will be held in
South Africa in March, and it is expected that agreement will be reached on a
date for the election of a constituent assembly. Norway has developed a
new five-point programme to assist South Africa in its transition to
democratic government. This will include:
- assisting elections through providing information and other support, and
by sending observers to monitor elections
- charting violence in the area in a bid to reduce it, and to create
the conditions necessary for normal political activities. Norway will assist
the Goldstone commission in its efforts to establish an institute for
this purpose
- supporting and providing manpower for a stronger UN presence in the
country during the transition to democracy
- new information and cooperation activities aimed at easing the
transition, following guidelines established at a course on international
cooperation which ANC representatives recently attended in Oslo.
- extending Norway's efforts to improve economic and social conditions for
the victims of apartheid. (norinform)
norinform/5-6 2 March 1993
SENSATIONAL FIRST PERFORMANCE WILL HIGHLIGHT BERGEN FESTIVAL
Twenty-three formerly unknown piano compositions by Norway's world
famous composer Edvard Grieg were recently discovered in the archives of
the Bergen public library. The first performance of these works
will be a star attraction at this year's Bergen International Festival,
which will run from 2 to 15 June.
Alf H.Madsen, press officer for the festival, calls the discovery of the
works a musical sensation. Edvard Grieg composed the pieces from 1858-1859,
just before he commenced his education at the Leipzig conservatory of
music. They will be performed for the first time on 7 June, at Grieg's
home, Troldhaugen, by Norwegian pianist Geir Henning Braathen.
This year's festival will mark the celebration of two jubilees; the
150th anniversary of the birth of Grieg and the 40th anniversary of
the first international festival in the west Norwegian town. On
account of this the festival will be the most lavish ever presented. The
festival organizers will be emptying most of their reserve of funds to meet
the programme budget of USD 2.4 million. The festival will also be extended
by two days in honour of the Grieg jubilee.
The 101 events scheduled this year will include a number of guest
performances by major ensembles, 15 premieres, 4 symphony orchestras, 38
soloists, 7 choirs and three different productions of "Peer Gynt." Top
attractions include the corps de ballet of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, which
will perform "Ring around the Ring", a ballet built around the theme of
Richard Wagner's opera cycle,"The Ring of the Nibelung", which is based on
Nordic mythology.
norinform/6 2 March 1993
The English National Opera from London will be performing Jonathan
Miller's production of Giuseppe Verdi's "Rigoletto", assisted by the Bergen
Philharmonic Orchestra and choir. This version is set in the the
mafia environment of Manhattan in the 1950s.
The distinguished Kungliga Dramatiske Teatern of Stockholm will present
Ingmar Bergman's interpretation of "Peer Gynt", while Kjetil Bang-Hansen
will produce another version of the play, performed by the actors of
the Bergen National Theatre, and accompanied by Grieg's incidental music in
full orchestral version. A third "Peer Gynt" production - from the
Hordaland Teater - will star Bergen actor Helge Jordal in the leading role.
The four symphony orchestras who are to perform are Grieg's own
Bergen Philharmonic, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, the Stavanger Symphony
Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of the Norwegian State Academy of
Music in Oslo. Soloists include sopranoes Elisabeth Norberg-Schulz, Elly
Ameling and Linda Oevreboe.
Two ballets will open the festival. Both will be first performances,
presented by the Norwegian National Ballet. The first of these is
choreographer Soelvi Edvardsen's ballet around the life of Edvard Grieg and
the second is Grieg's Holberg Suite, with choreography by Ib Andersen.
The kings and queens of both Norway and Sweden will attend the festival.
(norinform)
norinform/7 2 March 1993
POWER TO THE SWEDES
The electrical power producer, Norsk Krafteksport, has concluded a deal to
sell 3 billion kilowatt hours (3TWh) of hydroelectric power to Sweden yearly
over a three year period. The contract will be a major source of income
for the eight power generating companies in west and south Norway which
comprise the syndicate Norsk Krafteksport. The purchasers in Sweden are
Vattenfall, which will buy 2.2 TWh a year, and Sydkraft which will purchase
the remaining 0.8 TWh.
Norsk Krafteksport would not disclose the exact value of the deal
but information officer Dankert Freilem in Statkraft- which controls
planning, construction and operation of the country's power stations - says
that the price is well in excess of the price of interruptable power on the
Norwegian market. The terms of the contract state that Norsk
Krafteksport can receive Swedish power in return, if the need should arise,
though this is not a condition for the sale of Norwegian power.
The deal lies within the framework of 5TWh per year which was
previously approved by the national assembly. Norsk Krafteksport is now
trying to secure contracts for the remaining two years of the five year
period that the export permit covers.
(norinform)
norinform/8 2 March 1993
COMBATING CORROSION
The reinforcement in a large number of Norway's approximately 20,000 bridges
is corroded. Spreading rust leads to a gradual crumbling of the concrete,
which constitutes a considerable safety hazard and costs large sums of money.
Repairs to the concrete of bridges, terraces and multi-storey car parks cost
an annual sum of USD 71 million. In recent years polluted air has increased
the extent of the problem.
Against this background the Norwegian firm, Coating International,
in Mjoendalen,southeast Norway, has developed a method which successfully
stops corrosion of reinforcements. Coating International has named
the system Elkinet-AHEAD. It has already attracted a good deal of interest
both in Norway and abroad.
In simple terms the method consists of applying a thin layer of
primer, a special material similar to paint, to the surface of the concrete.
The primer conducts electrical current and when weak current is led
into the concrete surface it neutralizes the process which normally leads to
rusting. The primer is extremely durable and it can be coloured to
any shade desired. Other manufacturers have also tried to combat corrosion
through the use of electrical current, but Coating International is
believably the first to have developed a method which works well.
The Norwegian firm has applied for an international patent for its
method, which has so far been employed on 6,000 square metres of concrete
in Norway and Finland. New tests are now in progress in cooperation with
the Directorate of Public Roads.
(norinform)
norinform/9 2 March 1993
NORWAY'S LANDSCAPES WELL PROTECTED
More than 20,000 square kilometres of Norway's total land area - 6.3 per
cent of the whole - is legally protected, according to a survey from the
Directorate for Nature Management. The land in question consists of
1,277 areas in various parts of the country.
Most of these areas are nature reserves; the most strictly regulated form
of land conservation. The purpose of many of the protective measures
is to safeguard the environment for plant and animal species which are
either rare or endangered in Norway. Though some of the reserves are small
in extent, they represent important or typical natural environments. All
in all there are 1,030 reserves, covering a total area of 1,811 square
kilometres.
The country's 18 national parks and adjacent areas of landscape
protection provide wide tracts of land with a safeguard against major
encroachments. National parks constitute a good 13,000 square kilometres.
Only 1,200 square kilometres of this is forest; most of the remaining area is
mountainous.
Last year, a report on new national parks was submitted to the
national assembly, the Storting. If its proposals are adopted, a further
20,000 square kilometres will be added to the already protected area. So
far only state owned land has been set aside for national parks, but the
report also proposes that private land be appropriated for this purpose.
(norinform)
norinform/10 2 March 1993
SAFEGUARD AGAINST WATER DAMAGE
Homeowners and insurance companies could save millions by installing
an automatic water shut-off valve invented by Norwegian John Aasheim. The
device, which has been christened Water-Guard, cuts off a home's main
water supply as soon as a leak is detected.
In Norway alone, the costs of water damage total about USD 140 million
annually. About 30 per cent of the damage occurs in bathrooms, cellars and
laundry rooms which are designed to withstand a certain degree of damp.
Most of the claims paid by insurance companies go to repairs of kitchens,
bathrooms and home plumbing in general.
Aasheim's invention consists of low voltage detectors mounted in a home's
more vulnerable spots. When these register moisture from a leak, they send a
signal to a central shut-off valve which stops any further flow of water.
Water-Guard is being marketed in Norway for about USD 500. It can be
installed by a plumber in the course of a few hours. An insurance company,
UNI Storebrand, is cooperating with the inventor and is offering the system
to 30,000 people in Aust-Agder county. If customers install the device, they
avoid having to pay the "own liability" portion of any water damages which
might occur. Last year, UNI Storebrand paid about USD 3 million to cover such
water damages in homes, flats and cottages in the two small counties, Aust-
and Vest-Agder. (norinform)
.