ISSN 0804-709X
www.norwaves.com
ATTN: PRESSE- OG KULTURKONTORET
THE ROYAL MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Press Division, Oslo
NORWAY DAILY NO. 153-157/94 OeW/KJ
DATE: 11 August 1994
NEW PROTECTION ZONE REGULATIONS IN THE PIPELINE (NTB)
The Government has scheduled an extraordinary meeting of the
Council of State on Friday to deal with the fisheries conflict.
The Ministry of Fisheries is working at high speed to formulate
new provisions which will make pirate fishing in the Norwegian
fisheries protection zone around Svalbard illegal. According to
NTB's sources, the new provisions will specify which countries are
granted quotas, and that the quotas will be based on these
countries' historical fishing rights in the area. The Ministry of
Fisheries may lay down the new provisions independently, or they
may be adopted by the Council of State. "The entire Government is
concerned about the situation in the protection zone. Amendment of
regulations appurtenant to the Act Relating to the Norwegian
Economic Zone is a matter that should be dealt with by the Council
of State," says Chief Information Officer Oeivind Oestang of the
Office of the Prime Minister.
SECURITY GROUNDS FOR EU MEMBERSHIP (Aftenposten)
Christian Democrat vice-chairman and anti-accessionist Valgerd
Svarstad Haugland said yesterday at a press conference that it is
only honest to acknowledge that there are good reasons for joining
the European Union, citing the security policy situation as a case
in point. She hastened to add that NATO membership and associated
membership of the Western European Union provide adequate
security, however. She faulted Defence Minister Joergen Kosmo for
using scare tactics and for oversimplifying the security issue.
REIN MISTAKEN (Dagbladet)
Leader of the Social Democrats against the EU Hallvard Bakke
criticizes Chief of Defence Staff Torolf Rein for getting involved
in the EU membership debate. He also claims emphatically that Adm.
Rein is wrong in saying that Norway must join the Western European
Union (WEU) for reasons of security. According to Mr. Bakke, the
Maastricht Treaty provides that Norway, as an associate member,
may participate fully in the activities of the WEU. Mr. Bakke
further calls for Torolf Rein's resignation as Chief of Defence
Staff if he continues to take part in the EU membership debate.
FOREIGN MINISTRY WILL NOT COMMENT ON HEBRON REPORT (NTB)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not wish to comment on the
details of a critical report submitted by the international
observer corps that has recently completed its mission in Hebron
on the West Bank. The confidential report is highly critical of
Israel, according to Danish radio's Jerusalem correspondent. Press
spokesman Ingvard Havnen says that the report may be released to
the public only if Denmark and Italy, the other countries that
took part in the observer corps, agree.
NORWEGIAN POWER ASSISTANCE TO GAZA (Dagens Naeringsliv)
Norway and the PLO have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on
power infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. The agreement provides a
financial framework of NOK 150 million. State Secretary Asbjoern
Mathisen of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that the
agreement has now been signed by the PLO chairman himself
following negotiations that have taken an entire year. "This will
bring sizeable orders to Norwegian industry. Tenders will soon be
invited," says Mr. Mathisen.
INTENSE GAS STRUGGLE (Aftenposten)
The oil companies are currently scrambling feverishly to secure
involvement in gas contracts worth NOK 100 billion. This round
involves the final supplementary orders to European buyers, and
the object of the struggle is to determine which gas fields are to
be developed to supply gas to these customers. The matter was
postponed prior to the summer recess, so the decision will be
taken by the Storting next year.
WORTH NOTING:
- 22,500 is the current figure for the number of unsuccessful
applicants to the upper secondary schools. Experience indicates
that this figure will go down during the next week or two.
- Taslima Nasrin, victim of persecution and death threats, will
most likely not seek asylum in Norway. It is quite possible that
she will remain here while waiting for the religious fanatics in
Bangladesh to come to their senses.
- The output of the Draugen platform on the Halten Bank reached
110,000 barrels of oil per day this week, making it the most
productive well in Europe.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
For the Christian Democratic Party, the EU membership debate is
nothing but trouble. The basic reason is that the issue is one of
such universal interest. It is also of such far-reaching
significance for the entire country that any major party making
any claim to responsibility must naturally take a stand and make
its stand known. The issue of membership of the EU has nothing to
do with Christian morals in the sense that one view is right and
the other wrong. The moral values maintained by the Christian
Democrats and all the rest of us are equally important regardless
of whether or not we join the EU. (Verdens Gang)
DATE: 12 August 1994
TOUGH MEASURES AGAINST ICELANDIC PIRATE FISHERMEN
(Aftenposten/NTB)
The Government is unwilling to make any compromise whatsoever with
Icelandic fishermen who fish illegally in the protection zone. The
Government will be adopting provisions in the Council of State
today for levying fines and seizing vessels. The regulations
specifying which nations may fish in the protection zone around
Svalbard will also be made more specific - Norway, the EU
countries, Poland and the Faroe Islands. "Norway has no intention
of allocating quotas in the protection zone to Iceland. On the
contrary, we will step up enforcement of the regulations governing
fishing in the area," said Foreign Minister Bjoern Tore Godal
yesterday. A Norwegian Air Force plane flying over the protection
zone yesterday counted 21 foreign vessels fishing illegally in the
area. Chairman of the Norwegian Fishermen's Association Einar
Hepsoe expressed great satisfaction with the amendments to the
regulations yesterday. He didn't even see any reason to criticize
the Government for acting too slowly. Icelandic Fisheries Minister
Thorsteinn Palsson said on Thursday that Iceland may possibly send
its own Coast Guard ship to the protection zone if Icelandic
fishermen request assistance. He said that the Icelandic Coast
Guard would not interfere in conflicts between Icelandic fishermen
and the Norwegian Coast Guard, but would be there to monitor the
situation and to provide medical assistance if necessary.
LABOUR CHALLENGE TO CENTRE ON RELATIONS WITH EU (Dagbladet)
The Labour Party has brought the political summer holiday to a
close, focusing on the Centre Party in its autumn EU membership
campaign. Labour Party chairman Thorbjoern Jagland accuses the
Centre of deliberately confusing the EEA and EU membership issues.
He asserts that most of what the anti-accessionists claim will
happen if Norway joins the EU already took place when Norway
signed the EEA Agreement. He asks if the Centre can really justify
juggling the facts like this. Mr. Jagland insists that Norway has
been adapting to the EEA for several years. His view is that this
has brought a surge in industrial activity, economic recovery and
more jobs, while the Centre predicted that the EEA would have the
opposite effect. Mr. Jagland challenged the Centre Party to state
whether they would still like to pull out of the EEA or if they
have changed their views.
4500 NORWEGIANS TO BE ANALYZED (Aftenposten)
The referendum on accession to the EU will receive more scientific
attention than any previous Norwegian election. Investigators will
employ new methods which will enable them to chart the progress of
the campaign more or less from day to day. It will be possible to
determine at a later date whether specific moves by specific
politicians were successful or unsuccessful. Pollers have
previously only been able to assess the situation at a given
moment. 4,500 Norwegians will be interviewed, once in their homes
and twice by phone, for a total of one and a half hours. Election
expert Professor Henry Valen, who will be taking part, has a great
deal of faith in the project.
EU WILL NOT TAKE OVER FISHERY INSPECTIONS (Arbeiderbladet)
The proposal by EU Fisheries Commissioner Yannis Paleokrassas that
EU inspectors should replace national inspectors on the fishing
grounds does not involve any change in the principle that the
coastal states shall be in charge of enforcing fishery
regulations. EU inspections are a supplement to the national
inspections, in the view of Fisheries Minister Jan Henry T. Olsen.
"Enabling the EU to ensure that member states are fulfilling their
obligations to enforce regulations ought to be in everyone's
interest," he says.
WORTH NOTING:
- Norwegians are too passive and insufficiently market-oriented,
in the judgement of foreign tourism marketers in a study completed
by the Norwegian Institute of Transport Economics. Dutch and
Danish marketers were most negative.
- There will be no exploratory drilling for oil and gas in the
Skagerrak next year. The Ministry of Industry and Energy has
decided to exclude this controversial area when the fifteenth
licensing round commences next spring.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
Chief of Defence Staff Torolf Rein has been castigated for having
"got involved" in the EU debate. Hallvard Bakke, leader of the
Social Democrats against the EU, has called for Admiral Rein's
resignation if he "continues to take part in the membership
debate". Centre parliamentary leader Johan J. Jakobsen accuses
Admiral Rein of "sowing discord" over security issues, and
Socialist Left chairman Erik Solheim suggests that senior
officials are in favour of EU membership because they eye the
potential for high-ranking jobs in the EU. Admiral Rein delivered
an address in January in which he touched on security aspects of
EU membership without anyone reacting. Nor were there any protests
when the Red Electoral Alliance and the leaders of the Centre
Party quoted from this speech in support of their statements that
our security would not be jeopardized if we do not join the EU.
The storm of reactions from the anti-accessionists was not
precipitated until Admiral Rein pointed out that this was a
misinterpretation of his statements. In other words, it's all
right for Admiral Rein to say things the anti-accessionists can
interpret to their advantage, but any statements in favour of
accession are grounds for dismissal. Come on, give us a break!
(Arbeiderbladet)
DATE: 15 August 1994
HIGHER PRO-EU VOTE IF OTHER NORDICS JOIN (Aftenposten-Saturday edition)
A recent Markeds- og Mediainstitutt (MMI) poll reveals that a
growing number of Eurodoubters are inclined to accept EU
membership if Sweden and Finland vote to join the EU. Forty-six
per cent reply that they would favour membership, thirty-six per
cent would vote against and seventeen per cent would still be
uncertain. The survey was conducted for the Confederation of
Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO). Of all respondents taking a
stand, 55.4 per cent would vote for membership if the Swedes and
the Finns were to join, and 44.6 per cent would vote against. This
is the highest percentage of responses in favour of accession
registered to date. Secretary General Guro Fjellanger of "No to
the EU" will now be getting the message out that Swedish accession
to the EU would not mean Norway would have to join. "This issue
will be covered in our EU report scheduled for release on 22
September," she says. "I feel the NHO survey demonstrates that the
referendum could still go either way," says Secretary General Tor
Wennesland of the European Movement in Norway.
SETBACK FOR MS. BRUNDTLAND (Dagbladet-Sunday edition)
The accessionist parties are giving up ground to the anti-
accessionist parties, which, as a group, are advancing, according
to the first survey on party support taken after the summer
holidays, which was conducted by the MMI. Viewed in the light of
yesterday's opinion poll on the EU issue, which revealed that a
growing number of voters may vote for membership, this movement in
the party barometer came as a surprise. Labour backing was down
2.8 points to 37.4 per cent, the Centre was up 0.3 points to 18.1
per cent, the Conservatives down 2.7 points to 17.4 per cent, and
the Christian Democrats up 2.1 points to 7.5 per cent.
MS. BRUNDTLAND'S JOB IS SAFE (Dagbladet)
Regardless of which way Norway goes on the EU membership issue,
the voters think Ms. Brundtland is doing a good job and should
continue as Prime Minister. A large majority, including anti-
accessionists, feels Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland's
government should continue, even in the event of a rejection of EU
membership in the referendum. A survey conducted by the MMI for
Dagbladet, a major Oslo daily, reveals that 58 per cent of the
electorate feel the sitting Government should remain in power if
Norway votes against accession. Only 17 per cent feel the
Government should step down, while 25 per cent have taken no stand
on this issue.
ICELANDIC AMBASSADOR NOT RECALLED (Aftenposten-Sunday edition)
Iceland will not recall its ambassador to Norway for the present.
This step will be considered if any Icelandic trawlers are seized,
however. Icelandic Foreign Minister Jon Baldevin Hannibalsson
states that sending an Icelandic Coast Guard vessel to the
protection zone is still a possibility. There is no illegal
fishing going on in the protection zone around Svalbard at
present, according to press spokesman Lt. Col. John Espen Lien of
the Headquarters Defence Command Northern Norway. Most of the
vessels that were fishing in the protection zone are in or on
their way to the Loophole, where approximately 30 trawlers are now
located, according to Lt. Col. Lien.
NORWAY AGGRESSIVE (Verdens Gang)
Icelandic Foreign Minister Jon Baldevin Hannibalsson characterizes
Norwegian policy in the Svalbard zone as imperialistic aggression.
"In assuming the position of a coastal state in the Svalbard zone
and managing fishery resources unilaterally on the basis of
historical rights, Norway is following an old imperialist
tradition most recently maintained by British gunboat diplomacy,"
he says.
WORTH NOTING:
- Centre parliamentary leader Johan J. Jakobsen wonders if
Thorbjoern Jagland, in demanding that the Centre state its views
on relations with the EU, is in effect calling for a vote of no
confidence on the EU accession issue.
- Accessionist organizations are asking the Confederation of
Norwegian Business and Industry for nearly NOK 50 million to
support their campaign.
- The UN and the EU have requested that the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs investigate a Norwegian company suspected of having
violated trade sanctions against Serbia. The Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the surveillance agency SAMMCOM in Brussels have put a
tight lid on the affair.
- Conservationist organizations are losing members in droves. The
exodus is greater in Denmark and Norway than in other countries.
- SAS may earn over NOK 1 billion kroner in 1994. Second quarter
profits are expected to top NOK 400 million.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
Overfishing is a worldwide problem caused by poor resource
management or no management at all. The latter in particular is a
problem outside the 200 mile zones of coastal states and in areas
where management rights are in dispute. The current activities of
the Icelandic trawlers in the Svalbard zone are therefore
reprehensible, and what they are doing is not to their credit.
Iceland pioneered efforts to bring fishing activities under the
umbrella of international law, but its current activities will
defeat this purpose in the long run. There would be advantages in
authorizing coastal states to regulate fishing for species that
move in and out of their 200 mile zones. The status of the
Svalbard zone under international law should also be clarified.
Icelanders will not achieve this by just taking what they want.
(Verdens Gang)
DATE: 16 August 1994
NO SOLUTION IN SIGHT ON ICELAND (Aftenposten)
The visit of Norwegian Minister of Justice Grete Faremo to
Reykjavik did not bring the fishing conflict between Norway and
Iceland any closer to a solution. "Our discussions led to nothing
new. Norway is still set on getting the Icelanders to abide by the
regulations," said Ms. Faremo. "All we can say is that we
discussed the matter without reaching a solution. The discussions
were a positive step, however," said Icelandic Minister of Justice
and Fisheries Thorsteinn Palsson after the meeting. Icelandic
trawlers have moved east into the Barents Sea and are now working
in the Loophole. There were 27 vessels there yesterday, most of
them flying the Icelandic flag. Five of the Icelandic boats have
started using floating trawls which were prohibited in Norway more
than ten years ago because they are so effective.
FISHING IN PROTECTION ZONE MAY RESULT IN LOWER QUOTAS NEXT YEAR
(Nordlys/NTB)
The uncontrolled fishing now taking place in the protection zone
around Svalbard and in the Loophole is likely to have an impact on
next year's cod quotas. "We do not know how much cod is being
taken by this uncontrolled fishing, but it is plain that if it
reaches certain dimensions, it may mean we'll have to recommend
lower quotas," says Director Roald Vaage of the Institute of
Marine Research. The Institute will ask the Directorate of
Fisheries to assess the extent of uncontrolled fishing in these
waters this year.
OLSEN DENOUNCES ICELAND (Arbeiderbladet/NTB)
Minister of Fisheries Jan Henry T. Olsen criticized Iceland
severely during the fourth round of the UN Conference on
Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks that
opened in New York yesterday. Without mentioning Iceland by name,
Mr. Olsen stated that the countries fishing in the Loophole in the
Barents Sea are pursuing opportunistic policies in an attempt to
compensate for overfishing their own territories. The coastal
states would like stricter regulation of fishing outside their 200
mile economic zones. This conference is scheduled as the final
round, but there is little to indicate that the participating
countries will reach agreement on a joint statement.
BRUNDTLAND'S STRATEGY FOR CONVINCING NORWAY (Dagens Naeringsliv)
Without assailing her political adversaries, Prime Minister Gro
Harlem Brundtland took the offensive in Maaloey yesterday in
defending the results of the Government's negotiations with the
EU. Among other things, the PM believes Norwegian agriculture will
fare better inside the EU than outside, but her main argument was
still in the sphere of security. "Membership of the EU offers us
the best basis for peace, security and environmental concerns, as
well as economic conditions that can ensure jobs for all and
promote the general welfare," she states.
SLIM MAJORITY UNACCEPTABLE (Arbeiderbladet)
The Socialist Left stands firm in its resolve not to accept a
narrow majority in the EU referendum. "A 50.1 per cent majority
for accession would be a bigger problem for Norway than for the
Socialist Left," said party chairman Erik Solheim. The party
presented its main arguments and organizational plans for the EU
referendum campaign yesterday. Mr. Solheim emphasized repeatedly
that the party has no intention of turning from its national
convention resolution to require a Yes majority in at least ten
counties and the entire country before the party's representatives
in the Storting can give their assent to Norwegian accession to the EU.
WORTH NOTING:
- Norwegian security policy would be best served by full
membership in the Western European Union, the European "pillar" in
NATO. Membership of the EU is Norway's admission ticket, in the
view of former Chief of Defence Staff Fredrik Bull-Hansen.
- The NOK 40 million "No to the EU" campaign budget is now
complete. Farming interests have shelled out NOK 13 million,
fisheries NOK 6 million, and trade unions have contributed NOK 4
million. Government funding and internally generated funds make up
the remaining NOK 7 million.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
The Norwegian Government should - as plainly and as promptly as
diplomatic custom permits - communicate its interest in a
Norwegian candidate for the office of NATO's Secretary General.
This office has not diminished in importance since the Iron
Curtain fell. On the contrary, it requires political acumen on a
broad scale and a weight of experience in practical politics.
Manfred Woerner displayed these qualifications throughout his six
years in office. Norwegian Prime Minister Kaare Willoch was a
candidate in 1988, and may still be. Thorvald Stoltenberg, UN
peace commissioner and former minister of the Norwegian Defence
and Foreign Affairs ministries, is also an obvious candidate. The
Government would be justified in advocating a Norwegian as the
next head of NATO's political secretariat in Brussels. Norway is
one of the few founding countries that still have not been
represented in this office. Norway's substantial defence
contribution is tangible evidence of Norwegian loyalty to the
North Atlantic alliance. Having Europe's longest coastline and
NATO's only border with Russia, Norway is an apt geographic symbol
of NATO's Atlantic collaboration. If our EU efforts fail, NATO
will be our only point of access for playing an active role in
Western political collaboration. (Aftenposten)
DATE: 17 August 1994
"NORWAY HAS ESCALATED CONFLICT" (Aftenposten)
The Icelandic Coast Guard cutter "Odinn" will set out for the
Barents Sea on Monday afternoon to provide any necessary
assistance to seamen in distress. "This is not an escalation of
the conflict. If anyone has escalated the conflict, it is the
Norwegian Government. The conflict is deadlocked, and no solution
is in sight until after Norway's EU referendum. Neither is it a
new turn of events. It is quite normal to provide seamen with a
minimum of service. The Norwegian Coast Guard provides Norwegian
seamen with similar services," says Icelandic Foreign Minister Jon
Baldevin Hannibalsson.
BRUNDTLAND WARNS ICELANDERS (Arbeiderbladet)
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland has issued a plain warning to
Iceland in connection with the fishing conflicts in the Loophole
and the protection zone around Svalbard. "One should not take the
law into one's own hands," is the PM's comment. She hopes the
situation does not become acute, but she is not planning to
contact her Icelandic counterpart to ask him to recall the
Icelandic Coast Guard cutter. "We did not expect this move, but we
will take no steps whatsoever with regard to an Icelandic Coast
Guard cutter in the Barents Sea," says Defence Minister Joergen
Kosmo. Press spokesman Ingvard Havnen of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs says it is completely unnecessary for Iceland to send a
ship to the Barents Sea to safeguard the lives, health and safety
of Icelandic fishermen. "Foreign Minister Bjoern Tore Godal spoke
with his Icelandic counterpart before the weekend and assured him
that Norway will provide all necessary assistance to Icelandic
fishermen in this area. But we do not view this Icelandic move as
a provocation. We simply take note of what they are doing.
However, it must be said that the new situation does not improve
the climate for discussions between Iceland and Norway," said Mr. Havnen.
NORWAY WILL NOT STOP TRAWLERS FISHING IN LOOPHOLE (Arbeiderbladet)
Icelandic trawlers are free to fish in the Loophole in the Barents
Sea for the time being. The Norwegian authorities would like to
resolve the conflict through international agreements, and will
not invoke the legal principle of necessity to stop the Icelandic
fishermen. Around 28 trawlers were fishing in the Loophole
yesterday, taking large catches. Around 18 of the vessels were
from Iceland, four sailed under flags of convenience, and six were
Russian. To all appearances, the Russians are fishing on their
normal quota for the entire Barents Sea.
DEFENCE AUTHORITIES HOLD WATSON LIABLE (Aftenposten)
The Norwegian defence authorities will demand nearly NOK 1 million
in compensation from anti-whaling activist Paul Watson. The
authorities base their claim on international maritime law in
holding him liable for the collision in Vestfjorden in July. Coast
Guard Inspector Lars T. Saetre denies that they are doing this out
of vindictiveness. "We have no such feelings at all. We simply
think it is reasonable that he settle up for inflicting damage in
which we were without fault. Our budget does not provide for extra
expenses of this sort," says Mr. Saetre.
STOLTENBERG OFTEN NAMED IN NATO CIRCLES (Aftenposten)
Thorvald Stoltenberg has good chances of being called to be
Secretary General of NATO, but the uncertainty of Norway's
relations with the EU are to his disadvantage. He is not a clear
favourite without contenders. Mr. Stoltenberg asserts that he is
not a likely candidate for the office. "I am not prepared to
discuss the future at this point," he said at a press conference
in New York yesterday.
WORTH NOTING:
- Norwegian EU membership could generate 100,000 new jobs in the
fish farming and processing industries. The managing director of
AS Sjoelaks in Maaloey made statements to this effect in support
of the PM. He said that the key to this potential lies in the
market security represented by membership of the EU.
- A radioactive accident has recently occurred on the North Sea.
It was not reported to the Norwegian Radiation Protection
Authority, as required by law. This is the eighth radioactive
accident on the North Sea in 1993 and 1994.
- Den norske Bank showed a surplus of NOK 1.5 billion in the first
six months of 1994, the best semiannual profits ever registered by this bank.
- The State risks losing NOK 5 - 8 billion in defaulted student loans.
TODAY'S COMMENT:
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland has entered the field in
earnest to convince as many as possible that a referendum vote for
membership of the EU would be in Norway's best interest. In three-
and-a-half months, the voters will decide whether Norway should be
among the countries to join the European Union in January. Three-
and-a-half months of intense, uncompromising battle between
supporters and opponents of Norwegian membership of the EU may be
too much for many, though interest in the issue and the emotional
involvement seem to be running just as high as they did in 1972.
We hope the interest of the electorate will continue. With such an
important issue to be decided, it is of utmost importance that as
many people as possible exercise their right to vote. (Aftenposten)