Envoys from the Armed Forces have, at the invitation of the United States, attended a meeting in Bahrain to discuss possible Norwegian participation in a naval force in the Gulf of Persia.
According to VG, the meeting in Bahrain took place on July 31, and Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen (H) confirms to the newspaper that Norway participated.
The government has still not responded to the US request for a Norwegian contribution to a naval force in the Gulf of Persia, which came in June.
We are in a knowledge acquisition phase. We talk to our allies and others, but we do not yet know what form an operation will possibly take, Bakke-Jensen tells VG.
International law issues
We consider, among other things, international law issues. A concrete action on the spot is only a small part of this. If relevant, we must assess our resources together with NATO and meet our own needs, he says.
Bakke-Jensen emphasizes that Norway, like European countries, disagrees with President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the nuclear deal with Iran and stated strategy of putting maximum pressure on the country through severe sanctions.
Free sailing
It is well known that we and the European countries disagree with the US regarding the nuclear agreement. But at the same time, there is reason to respond to attempts to prevent free sailing in the area. It can hit the world economy in a very sensitive sea area. It is important to defend the Law of the Sea and the right to free sailing, which is also under pressure in the South China Sea and elsewhere, says Bakke-Jensen to VG.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
