ISSN 0804-709X
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THE ROYAL MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Press Division, Oslo
NORWAY DAILY NO. 113-117/94 ARS/PT
DATE: 16 June 1994
WE HAD TO ACT (Aftenposten)
Foreign Minister Bjoern Tore Godal says Norway had to take
action in the Barents Sea yesterday to avoid an "invasion" of
foreign trawlers. "The increased overfishing by foreign
vessels in the Svalbard zone was highly detrimental from a
fishery administration perspective, and emerged as a clear-cut
test case of whether unlimited fishing should be allowed in
the area. Failure to intervene could have prompted other
countries to move into the fishing grounds", emphasised Mr.
Godal. "We are very surprise by Norway's tough reaction. Many
Icelanders see the Norwegian authorities' brutality as
evidence of their weak legal position. Normal procedure would
have been to escort the vessels to a Norwegian harbour and
have the case tried in court", said Iceland's ambassador,
Eidur Gudnason after being summoned by Foreign Minister Godal
to account for the Icelandic trawlers' activity in Norway's
self-proclaimed protection zone around the Svalbard
archipelago. After the meeting Mr. Godal emphasised for his
part that the gap between Norway and Iceland in the fishery
dispute was smaller than feared.
ICELANDERS TO SEND TRAWLER ARMADA TO SVALBARD (Dagbladet)
Icelandic shipowners will step up their fishery conflict with
Norway in the protection zone around Svalbard. "The 12 boats
already in the protection zone are merely the vanguard. After
17 June we will send the main force", says shipping company
director Torstein Baldvinsson, who plans to send up to eight
factory ships and fresh-fish trawlers to the protection zone.
After Independence Day on 17 June the Royal Family will have
left Iceland. "We don't want to provoke the Norwegian
authorities unnecessarily", Says Mr. Baldvinsson, who knows of
several small shipping companies that will be sending vessels
to the disputed zone.
CENTRAL BANK ADVICE GOES UNHEEDED (Aftenposten)
The Storting is allowing a golden opportunity for policy
tightening to pass, fears Central Bank Governor Torstein
Moland. The outlook for the Norwegian economy over the next
few years is very bright, but it requires agents with an
influence on the economy to behave as the central bank
governor says they ought. This appears to be the conclusion of
Norges Bank's latest analysis of the Norwegian economy, which
is the first quarterly report presented by Torstein Moland as
Central Bank Governor. His warnings at yesterday's press
conference cannot prevent Storting representatives tomorrow
from acting completely at odds with his recommendations. The
Storting will be voting to raise expenditures over the
government budget by some NOK 800 million in connection with
finalisation of the revised national budget. Even if the
politicians do find sources of revenue to meet the increased
expenditure, this is not the economic policy that Norges Bank
believes is necessary. "The policy programme set out in the
Revised National Budget implies no change in the direction
that the Norwegian economy really ought to move in. A more
pronounced tightening would have been desirable, but it seems
that the opposite will be the case", said Central Bank
Governor Moland.
"MINOR" BUDGETING ERROR IN RIGHT DIRECTION (Dagens Naeringsliv)
The deficit on central government accounts for 1993 turned out
to be NOK 2.5 billion smaller than budgeted for. "A minor
variance, and a variance in the right direction", says State
Secretary Jan Aaboen at the Ministry of Finance. Last year's
central government accounts show a deficit before loan
transactions of NOK 43.8 billion. The deficit set for the
government budget was NOK 46.3 billion. The variance is in
some respects far smaller than in recent years. "A probable
explanation is that the cash limits system adopted by the
Storting is working as intended. The Ministry has been given
wider powers and hence greater responsibility for keeping
within budgets", says Mr. Aaboen.
WORTH NOTING:
- The Storting unanimously endorsed the vehement criticism
levelled by the Standing Committee on Defence at Kvaerner in
the minesweeper issue.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
An extremely delicate and critical situation has arisen
between Iceland and Norway in the run-up to Iceland's
celebration of its 50th anniversary as an independent
republic. Two Norwegian coast guard vessels have severed the
trawls of four Icelandic trawlers and fired a warning shot at
a fifth. Norwegian authorities took this dramatic step because
they believe the trawlers are responsible for illegal fishing
in the Norwegian protection zone around Svalbard. Based on
resource-administrative considerations there are many weighty
reasons why Norway should retain the right to superintend
fishery operations in the fishery protection zone around
Svalbard. Internationally however the fishery protection zone
is contentious. Finland is in fact the only country to have
recognised it. Many other countries have either protested or
reserved their position on Norway's designation of the sea
areas around Svalbard as an Norwegian economic zone. Attempts
made to reach agreement on the Svalbard zone during
negotiations with the EU both on the EEA Treaty and membership
terms were not entirely successful. By so dramatically
pointing up the Icelanders' alleged illegal fishing, Norway
runs the risk that the international community will really
call into question Norway's right to administer fishing
operations in the area. Many nations - like the Icelanders -
will assert that the Svalbard Treaty's provisions on equal
treatment of all signatory nations must also apply in the
Svalbard zone. The issue will put Norwegian diplomacy to a
hard test. Even though Norway believes it has the best
arguments, there is no guarantee that it will win through if
the case is tried in court.
DATE: 17 June 1994
COAST GUARD PREPARED TO FIRE AGAIN (Aftenposten)
"Norway is not about to back down in the cod war. The Coast Guard
is increasing its presence in the protection zone," said Minister
of Defence Joergen Kosmo. Foreign Minister Bjoern Tore Godal says
that Norway is prepared to meet any new provocations from
Icelandic trawlers with warning shots, and they may cut trawl
lines. Norway has support in the EU for its policy in this cod
war, according to Fisheries Minister Jan Henry T. Olsen. The
Government also has the full backing of the Storting. The parties
in the Storting were informed of developments in the cod war at a
meeting of the Enlarged Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday
afternoon. According to Aftenposten's sources, there were no
critical reactions to the Government's handling of the affair.
"BODES ILL FOR THE FUTURE" (Dagbladet)
Iceland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson,
is apprehensive of the possibility that Norway and Iceland may be
the only two EFTA countries left outside the EU. "The spirit of
^n}cooperation displayed by Norway of late bodes ill," said Mr.
Hannibalsson, who is a proponent of EU membership. Iceland's
Social Democratic Party, headed by Mr. Hannibalsson, also
advocates membership of the EU, but with the political climate as
it is in Iceland, accession is not likely before the turn of the century.
GUATEMALA ACCORD EXPECTED TODAY (Vaart Land)
A new breakthrough is expected in the Oslo talks on peace
Guatemala. All appearances indicate that representatives of the
Guatemalan government and the guerilla movement will sign an
accord sometime today. "There are many indications that they have
reached an agreement concerning refugees which includes displaced
persons within the country as well as refugees who have fled the
country," said special adviser Arne Aasheim of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
LABOUR ANTI-ACCESSIONISTS DEMAND ANTI-ACCESSIONIST MINISTERS IN
GOVERNMENT (Dagbladet)
Labour's anti-accessionist wing is preparing for battle. They take
the view that if the referendum on EU membership goes against
accession, Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland's natural course
of action should be to renew her staff and fill her Government
with anti-accessionist ministers. They do not want to replace her, however.
DENMARK BEATS NORWAY IN DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION GAME
(Arbeiderbladet)
Norway slashed its foreign aid in 1993 and is no longer the world
champion in terms of the amount of development assistance given in
IOFo~per cent of gross domestic product. Denmark has topped Norway in
the prestigious OECD ratings. The Foreign Ministry's accounts show
that Norwegian contributions were only 1.01 per cent of GDP last
year, a 10 per cent decrease from the year before. The cut was
also 5 per cent more than planned in the 1993 budget.
WORTH NOTING:
- Portugal is becoming the most valuable export market for
Norwegian fish products, according to statistics published by the
Norwegian Seafood Export Council.
- The decision as to which natural gas field is to be developed to
meet contractual obligations with the German VNG and MEEG
corporations will not be taken until the autumn of 1995 at the
earliest. This was clear after the government proposal to postpone
the decision passed the Storting Thursday evening.
- Kjell Aamot, Schibsted group CEO, shut the executives of the
dailies Aftenposten and Verdens Gang out of the group board in a
surprise coup.
- Environmental considerations and openness towards Eastern Europe
were in focus as the Eureka Conference of Ministers in Lillehammer
came to a close yesterday.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
An eventful spring session in the Storting draws to a close today.
The Government was nearly unseated by a vote of no confidence in
the Moland affair. This in itself is remarkable. Only twice before
has a government been toppled by a vote of no confidence. If the
split in the Progress Party had not occurred, Norway would
probably have seen its second woman prime minister, the Centre
Party's Anne Enger Lahnstein. This is indicative of the complexity
of the parliamentary landscape at the moment. The Government has
had to run a zig-zag course from party to party and from issue to
issue, but despite heavy going on occasion, Ms. Brundtland's team
crossed the finish line this time around. To its good fortune, the
Government has received a good measure of support for its economic
policies. Norway is now reaping the benefits of several years of
consistent policy. In their reports, Norges Bank and Statistics
Norway both underscore that the Norwegian economy is definitely on
its way up. Most gratifying is the fact that unemployment is on
its way down. (Arbeiderbladet)
DATE: 20 June 1994
DR. BRUNDTLAND'S MEDICINE (Arbeiderbladet/Aftenposten)
The leaders of the Labour Party have received their marching
orders for accession to the EU: the national convention voted 197
to 93 in favour of EU membership. With this sort of backing, the
party leadership can throw itself wholeheartedly into the EU
campaign. Party chairman Thorbjoern Jagland plans to focus
primarily on doubters and social democratic voters. He strongly
emphasized that opponents within the party must be free to promote
their viewpoints, too. "No one will have to go against his
convictions. The efforts of the local party organizations should
be allowed to reflect the trend of local EU opinions," he said.
Norwegian Labour Youth chairman Trond Giske, who was a leading
advocate of the minority view at the convention, lauded the party
leadership's treatment of those who oppose EU membership. At the
same time, though, he cautioned against the tendency of some
speakers to draw a link between views on accession and confidence
in the sitting Government.
CRISIS IN OSLO TALKS ON GUATEMALA (Aftenposten)
After Friday's signing of the agreement that would allow hundreds
of thousands of refugees in Guatemala to return to their homes,
the peace talks came to a standstill. Things bogged down when army
and guerilla representatives moved on to the real issue they had
come to Oslo to resolve: how to settle the differences of the
past, especially the civil rights violations from 30 years of
bloody civil war. This has long been considered the most serious
issue to be dealt with, and the forecasts have been borne out. It
looked as if the negotiators would leave Oslo without signing an
agreement, but they agreed on Saturday morning to keep trying.
ICELAND PULLED OUT TONIGHT (Dagbladet)
Late last night, one of the Icelandic trawlers headed out of the
protection zone around Svalbard. By all appearances, several other
trawlers will follow. The Icelandic fishermen will not take the
chance of remaining in the area until the dispute over the
protection zone is settled. The Icelandic fishermen asked their
government to file an action against Norway in the International
Court of Justice in the Hague. The Icelandic government gave no
reply, however, at which point several trawler captains found it
necessary to consider their own safety, as told to Dagbladet by
Icelandic radio, which had been in contact with a number of
trawlers last night. However, it is plain that the Icelandic
authorities have no intention of giving in to Norwegian pressure.
Statements by Minister of Fisheries Torstein Paulsson and Minister
of Foreign Affairs Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson make this clear. "The
actions of the Norwegian Coast Guard jeopardize their own safety
and endanger the lives of our fishermen", said the outspoken
Foreign Minister yesterday afternoon when he was asked to comment
on the fact that the Norwegian Coast Guard will maintain its
resolute activity against Icelandic fishermen in the protection zone.
PROPOSAL TO CURTAIL DISCLOSURE (Aftenposten)
In a Ministry of Justice proposal, all correspondence between the
Office of the Auditor General and the public administration would
be classified confidential. This step would severely restrict
access by the public to information on government administration
activities which have criticized by the Office of the Auditor
General. Public access to this information is already hampered by
the fact that the Freedom of Information Act does not apply to the
work of the Auditor General. This makes it difficult to examine
circumstances uncovered by the Auditor General's scrutiny of the
use of state funds.
WORTH NOTING:
- The strike in the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation has come to
an end. The reported cost of the settlement is NOK 20.5 million,
but the strike coordinator says the demands at the opening of the
negotiations totalled NOK 12.4 million.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
Can the people be convinced? Although most of Norway's elite have
long advocated Norwegian membership of the European Union, all
opinion polls show that the great majority of the people are far
more wary of joining. Why this stubborn resistance? Is it the
distance between voters and representatives - perhaps a growing
distrust of politicians? Or is it due to a resistance to change,
and the desire to preserve Norway as a "different" sort of
country? Before Labour's national convention recommended Norwegian
accession by a two-thirds majority, as expected, the Finnish
Centre Party decided on Saturday, by a majority nearly as large,
to support membership. The extraordinary convention of the Swedish
Social Democrats showed 232 for and 103 against membership. The
voters should heed these strong recommendations for participation
in the EU. But will they - despite the fact that the delegates to
this weekend's convention have obviously studied the matter more
thoroughly than most voters? In the course of their work,
politicians experience the benefits of the influence that
participation gives. We can safely assume that all delegates have
voted according to what they feel best serves Norway's interests.
There is no easy trick that will ensure a majority vote in favour
of accession. The definitive majority vote for membership of the
EU at the national convention is significant, of course, but the
party's impact as an organization is weakened, and the minority is
greater now than it was in 1972 (93 now, against 73 in 1972).
Regardless of how the vote goes at the national convention of the
Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions, it is likely that resistance
will be expressed even more strongly now than at the 1972
convention. Support for EU membership in the Labour press is lower
now than it was last time, and many dailies are remaining neutral.
In the end, the choices of our neighbours and the ability of the
accessionists to debate objectively will decide the issue. Few
excesses were observed in the debate at the Labour Party
convention. We hope things will continue in this vein. If the
accessionists can take part in what Olof Palme characterized as a
"low-key" discussion, they should be able to convince sufficient
numbers. (Arbeiderbladet)
DATE: 21 June 1994
REPORT GOES AGAINST ANTI-ACCESSIONIST ARGUMENTS
(Arbeiderbladet/Aftenposten)
The economic and political realities facing organized labour in
Norway will not be dramatically different in the EEA or the EU.
The strength and position of organized labour is determined, for
the most part, by historical factors and prevailing conditions in
each individual country. These are two of the main conclusions of
the report on the EEA, the EU and organized labour prepared by the
Institute of Applied Social Sciences for the secretariat of the
Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions. In a number of areas, the
report is a definite, though indirect, rejection of the foremost
considerations which define the strategy of the Social Democrats
against the EU. The report will provide the basis for the
Federation's final treatment of the EU membership issue at its
extraordinary convention in September. Federation chairman Yngve
Haagensen believes the intense tug-of-war between the
accessionists and the anti-accessionists at the convention may end
up in a tie. The Federation will keep a very low profile on the EU
until the convention.
GLACIAL FRONT BETWEEN OLD "CENTRE COMRADES" (Verdens Gang)
Relations between the Centre Party and the Christian Democrats
have frozen over, and the frost is unaffected by Kjell Magne
Bondevik's (Chr.Dem.) suggestion for a centrist government
coalition. Centre parliamentary leader Johan J. Jakobsen's icy
reply is that the alternative to Gro Harlem Brundtland's
government is a government headed by the Centre party. Therefore,
Kjell Magne Bondevik cannot make any demands on the Centre. Any
Centre government will be formed on Centre, not Christian
Democrat, terms. "The law of gravity is still in effect in
Norwegian politics," said Mr. Jakobsen. It was at a press
conference yesterday that the Christian Democrat chairman made his
statement that if there is a change in government during this
parliamentary term, a collaboration between the Christian
Democrats, the Centre and the Liberals would be the best and most
natural alternative.
ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENDERS MAY NOW FACE JAIL SENTENCES (Vaart Land)
The National Authority for Investigation of Economic and
Environmental Crime intends to press more often for jail sentences
for environmental crimes. "Industrial executives have got off too
lightly," says Senior Public Prosecutor Joern Holme, head of the
environmental crime unit. New legislation makes it possible to
hand down sentences of up to fifteen years for the worst cases of
criminal pollution. Mr. Holme also gives notice that bigger fines
for gross, wilful environmental offences may be expected.
POLITICAL QUOTAS DEPLORED (Aftenposten)
Minister of Government Administration Nils Totland criticizes what
he views as the application of political quotas in the appointment
of county governors. The Centre Party has reportedly pressed hard
for the two most recent county governor appointments because it is
allegedly "their turn". Since Mr. Totland took over as Minister of
Government Administration, however, non-political candidates have
been chosen. "Those who are best qualified should have the job.
There's no doubt that a long political career and the depth of
experience it provides count heavily, but no party ever has a
right to these appointments," says Mr. Totland.
WORTH NOTING:
- Foreign oil workers and small service enterprises operating on
the North Sea owe more than NOK 500 million in taxes to Norway.
- Patients who qualify for the waiting list guarantee but are not
treated within the six-month time limit are entitled to state
coverage for treatment at clinics in the EEA, according to the
Department of Private Law at the University of Oslo. Minister of
Health Werner Christie takes the view that the interpretation of
these EEA provisions is still uncertain.
- Sweden is getting impatient with haphazard Norwegian wildlife
management. Protection of bears along the Norwegian border may be
discontinued as a reaction to Norway's apparent lack of
consistency in its management of predatory wildlife.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg-Petersen has hit the nail on
the head in his description of the recent Norwegian-Icelandic cod
war in the fisheries protection zone around Svalbard:
"embarrassing" is the word. He wisely refrains from apportioning
the embarrassment between the belligerents, but this will have to
be done if we are to extricate ourselves from this highly delicate
conflict. In a matter in which most distinctions are blurred -
including aspects of international law - three things are
reasonably clear. First, this time it is Iceland that has gone in
and disrupted the pattern of fishing that has been practiced in
these waters. Second, the Norwegian interpretation of the Treaty
of Svalbard, upon which Norway bases its action to establish a
fisheries protection zone, has not been accepted by any other
country with the exception of Finland. Third, other countries have
nonetheless found it expedient to tacitly accept, in practice,
that Norway is in charge of managing the fishery resources in this
zone. So far, in cutting trawl lines, Norway has used a method
developed and employed by the Icelanders themselves against the
British when Iceland enlarged its own fisheries zone. Equally
clear, though, is that sooner rather than later, international law
and diplomacy should render our new Norwegian gunboat diplomacy
unnecessary. There has been talk in Iceland of bringing the case
before the International Court of Justice in the Hague. This they
should by all means do - but first they will have to accord the
Court the recognition they have so far withheld out of fear of
receiving a judgement that runs counter to their own interests.
(Aftenposten)
DATO: 22. juni 1994
UD VIL SLANKE MATVAREPROGRAM (Aftenposten)
Altfor mye av hjelpen fra FNs matvareprogram (FAO) gaar til
land som ikke trenger det mest, mener Utenriksdepartementet.
UD gaar i en evalueringsrapport inn for kraftig slanking av
matvareprogrammet, som har et aarlig budsjett paa 12
milliarder kroner. UD foreslaar blant annet aa omfordele
mathjelpen og bistanden slik at den kommer de fattigste
landene til gode. 37 prosent av FAOs ressurser gaar til
Latin-Amerika, Midtoesten og Middelhavsomraadet, til tross for
at faa land her regnes til de fattigste i verden. UD vil
redusere antallet land som faar hjelp, og oeke innsatsen i
Afrika. Den norske evalueringen viser ogsaa at det er altfor
daarlig planlegging og kontroll med de mer langsiktige
utviklingsprosjektene. I en del tilfeller har pengene gaatt
rett inn i statsapparatet, andre steder har feilvurderinger
foert til at det lokale matvaremarkedet er brutt sammen.
Kritikken og forslagene fra UD-rapporten skal ha vakt oppsikt
i FAO, og kan foere til store omveltninger i organisasjonen.
Ifoelge statssekretaer Asbjoern Mathisen i UD har flere av
forslagene allerede faatt foelger.
TAUST OM ATOMVAaPENPOLITIKK I EU-MELDINGEN (NTB/Klassekampen)
Nei til Atomvaapen (NTA) er skuffet over at spoersmaalet om
atomvaapnenes eventuelle rolle i EUs framtidige
forsvarspolitikk ikke er behandlet i regjeringens
stortingsmelding om EU-medlemskap, som ble lagt fram nylig.
NTA ble lovet en slik droefting i et brev sendt fra
Utenriksdepartementet i mai. Grunnen til at det er taust om
spoersmaalet i stortingsmeldingen er at problemstillingen er
uaktuell, mener statssekretaer Siri Bjerke i
Utenriksdepartementet. Hun viser til at EU ikke har noen
atomstrategi, og presiserer at EUs forsvarspolitikk vil vaere
Vestunionens ansvarsomraade. Det framgaar baade av
Vestunionens karakter og dens oppdrag at bruk av atomvaapen er
uaktuelt, framholder Bjerke.
"TILSLOeRER FAKTA OM HANDEL MED U-LAND" (Dagens Naeringsliv)
Handelsminister Grete Knudsen og regjeringen tilsloerer fakta
om handel med u-land i stortingsmeldingen om EU-medlemskap.
Det hevder forsker Tore Linn Eriksen ved Norsk
Utenrikspolitisk Institutt (NUPI). - Det er lite trolig at et
medlemskap vil bety en saerlig vridning av norsk u-landsimport
mot de fattigste u-landene, slik Knudsen har paastaatt i
Stortinget, sier Linn Eriksen. Han mener det som staar om
handel med u-land i stortingsmelding nr 40 gir et svaert
daarlig grunnlag for aa diskutere EU-medlemskapets virkning
paa dette omraadet. - Regjeringen toner ned kursendringen som
EU-medlemskap vil bety for import av tekstilvarer fra u-land.
I forsoek paa aa oppveie for disse oekte hindringene,
presenteres dessuten svaert overdrevne forestillinger om at
tilslutning til Lom-avtalen vil innebaere en vridning av
importen mot de fattigste landene i Afrika, sier Linn Eriksen.
EU-MEDLEMSKAP TRUER IKKE OPPSIGELSESVERNET (NTB)
EU-medlemskap er ingen trussel mot norske arbeidstakeres
oppsigelsesvern, er konklusjonen i en rapport fra
Yrkesorganisasjonenes Sentralforbund (YS). Det norske
oppsigelsesvernet er sammenliknet med tilsvarende regler i EU-
landene Tyskland og Storbritannia. Nasjonale lover betyr mer
enn EU-direktiver paa dette omraadet, mener YS-leder Eva Bjoereng.
VERDT Aa MERKE SEG:
- Venstre er stoerre enn Fremskrittspartiet for foerste gang
siden begynnelsen av 1980-tallet, viser Scan-Fact/VGs
partimaaling for juni. Arbeiderpartiets tilbakegang og Hoeyres
framgang er stoppet.
- Arne Treholt er involvert i skrotingen av et stort antall
russiske ubaater. Treholt haaper aa tjene penger paa aa selge
ubaatene til vestlige land. Miljoeorganisasjoner protesterer
og peker paa miljoefarene.
DAGENS KOMMENTAR:
Med FAFOs utredning om fagbevegelsens forhold til EOeS og EU
er det lagt et solid grunnlag for Landsorganisasjonens videre
behandling av EU-spoersmaalet. Forskerne argumenterer godt
for at den oekonomiske og politiske virkeligheten for Norge
ikke blir vesentlig forandret ved medlemskap, fordi vi
allerede er sterkt integrert i EU-samarbeidet gjennom EOeS-
avtalen. Det avgjoerende skillet oppstaar foerst ved en
eventuell innfoering av tredje fase av den oekonomiske og
monetaere unionen (OeMU). Det er interessant at forskerne gir
statsminister Gro Harlem Brundtland rett naar hun sier at
Norge ikke kan tvinges inn i pengeunionen mot Stortingets
vilje. Norske myndigheter avgjoer selv, ifoelge FAFO-
forskerne, om kriteriene for aa gaa med i den tredje fase er
oppfylt. (Arbeiderbladet)