Russia accuses Norway of destroying neighborly relationship between the two countries
The Russian embassy denies that the neighborly relationship between Russia and Norway is good.
The Russian embassy in Oslo posted a post on Facebook on Monday night.
In the post, it accused Norway of destroying the neighborly relationship between the two countries.
The message was posted after Bakke-Jensen talked about having “very good contact with the neighbor to the east” in an interview with newspapers Nordlys and Klassekampen.
“Unfortunately, the reality is that at Norway’s initiative, the military interaction has been put on ice.
The systematic dialogue at the political level between our countries and relations between special services have been reduced to a minimum.
“The Norwegian government rejected all initiatives from Russia to restore cooperation,” the embassy wrote in its statement.
“NATO outpost“
The Norwegian Armed Forces want the US Navy to be able to use a civilian, municipal quay in Grøtsund, one and a half miles north of Tromsø city center, for its nuclear-powered submarines.
The local politicians in Tromsø primarily want to use this quay for civilian purposes, according to Nordlys.
“Norway has, without threats from Russia, eagerly assumed the role of a NATO outpost on the border with our country.
“We note the increased militarization of Norway, systematic anti-Russian exercises, the transfer of the presence of large foreign forces on Norwegian territory to a permanent basis, contrary to the traditional “base policy,” the embassy added.
“We think that Norwegian politicians should use their energy and the people’s money to strengthen peace in the north, and not to destroy it,” the embassy continued.
Doubts about Norwegian independence
“The relationship is not good now. Such statements emphasize just that. The Russians also want to state that they believe that Norwegian security policy is not exclusively determined in Norway.
“They cast some doubt on Norwegian independence and Norway’s ability to shape its own policies,” Ingerid M. Opdahl, head of the Russia program at the Department of Defense Studies (IFF), told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
