Norway responded about the weapons disclosure: – Smokescreen

At the beginning of the summer, Dagbladet revealed an unknown arms deal between Norway and the United States – which provoked strong reactions.

The deal gives the US a chance To sell weapons made in Norway under the American flag.

Norwegian arms can thus be sold to Saudi Arabia and other countries that are major customers of the United StatesBut Norway does not export because of allegations of war crimes and human rights abuses.

Two words

Although the Defense Ministry told Dagbladet that Norwegian export regulations must be followed, the contract, which Dagbladet had access to, said otherwise.

There are two words that are very important in the case:

In a contract An agreement between Norwegian arms manufacturer Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace and their partner Raytheon in the US states that Raytheon can sell Kongsberg missiles under Norwegian “and/or” US regulations..

Red, MDG and Changemaker are upset:

– For decades, Norway has fought democratically to ensure that weapons do not end up with governments that violate human rights or wage war against international law, such as Saudi Arabia. Rødt chairman Bjørnar Moxnes said a minister in the back room could not overrule hoarding decisions.

Announces a full flush

– Smoke blanket

Tobias Trevland Lund poses in red Detailed question To Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) regarding this matter. The gist of the question is this:

“The daily Dagbladet reveals that the government is working on an agreement with the US that would allow Norwegian-made weapons to be resold from the US in accordance with US export regulations. How will the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs enforce the Norwegian export rules for weapons resold to countries such as Saudi Arabia, where Norway has decided not to export weapons directly?”

Huitfeldt answered the question just written:

“The priority is to ensure strong industrial cooperation between Norway and the United States, strengthening security of supply for us and our allies. A strict export control is essential. The legal obligation of confidentiality imposes strict restrictions on access to concrete export matters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot confirm which cases are being processed or what the outcome will be.” It cannot be denied. The government can take the necessary political decisions when important foreign and security policy interests are involved. The Storting will, as a matter of practice, be consulted.”

Huitfeldt therefore believes that the arms deal must be contained within the cabinet and take action. Rødt denies this – the matter will be a topic in the Storting during the debate on arms exports on 6 September.

A blanket of smoke

– Rødt chairman Bjørnar Moxnes says today that this is a smokescreen by the Foreign Minister.

– We are not asking about specific export cases. When the United States ships Norwegian weapons to other countries, we ask what control mechanisms Norway uses to enforce our export controls. Huitfeldt did not answer.

He believes that the matter is one that needs to be discussed in the Storting in order to be accepted.

– If the agreement violates the Storting’s accepted policy of not giving access to Norwegian arms to countries that violate human rights, we should consider it a “treaty of particular importance,” Moxnes says, requiring the Storting’s approval to come into force.

This matter will become a topic in Storing on September 6th. After Arms exports are on the agenda.

Both Rødt and MDG have previously made it clear that the agreement is irrelevant. The red leader is Bjorner Moxnes Put it this way:

– Recently given by the Minister of External Affairs Report to the Storting on the government’s export control and non-proliferation work. Not a word that the government would facilitate resale from the US. Rødt’s elected representatives do not appreciate being misled, and there is a lot of indifference when we have to deal with the report.