VZCZCXYZ0006
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DE RUEHNY #0615/01 1311449
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O 111449Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3950

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000615 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR UNDER SECRETARY JOSETTE SHINER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2016 
TAGS: PREL OVIP EAID ENRG NO
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR YOUR VISIT TO OSLO, MAY 16-17 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Benson K. Whitney, Reasson 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C) I very much look forward to welcoming you to Oslo. 
You will be the most senior U.S. administration official to 
visit Norway since the center-left government of Jens 
Stoltenberg came to power in October 2005, and your visit 
should help us in our efforts to bolster our dialogue with 
Norway on the issues that are of high mutual interest, like 
the High-level Panel on UN System-wide Coherence, and energy 
issues. 
 
¶2.  (C) The timing of your visit could not be better, coming 
at a juncture where an activist left-leaning government is 
striking out in different directions internationally.  Sadly, 
while paying lip service to the importance of U.S.-Norwegian 
bilateral relations, Stoltenberg's government has clearly 
wanted to be seen as keeping some distance from the U.S.  It 
has been a wild last few months, with new and surprising 
announcements -- from floating the idea of a security 
dialogue with Iran, to Norwegian officials agreeing to meet 
with Hamas representatives -- coming fast upon the heels of 
each other. 
 
¶3.  (C) One of the two junior government coalition partners, 
the Socialist Left party (SV), is irresponsible (to say the 
least) on foreign and security issues.  Stoltenberg and his 
Labor party colleague Foreign Minister Jonas Stoere have sat 
down hard on SV when necessary, for example, when Finance 
Minister Kristin Halvorsen expressed her support for a 
consumer boycott of Israeli goods.  However, even though SV 
has been forced to clam up somewhat on foreign and security 
issues, the Stoltenberg government sometimes appears more 
concerned with appeasing its domestic left wing constituency 
than in maintaining consistency in Norway's foreign policy, 
which has historically been anchored in a strong relationship 
with the U.S. 
 
¶4.  (C) Our concerns about the drift of Norwegian foreign 
policy is also echoed by the center-right of Norwegian 
politics, and even within the Labor party and Center party 
(the more responsible junior government coalition party) 
there are many who argue that not enough is being done to 
preserve the bilateral link with the U.S.  This background 
adds a huge element of importance to your visit, offering us 
the opportunity to demonstrate that on issues that are 
important to Norway, like the UN and energy, the U.S. and 
Norway have a strong and healthy dialogue and partnership. 
One of our main aims is to demonstrate that when Norway and 
the U.S. work together, the results are good, for us, for 
them, and the world. 
 
¶5.  (C) Where we do work together, for example Sudan, Sri 
Lanka, Afghanistan, the relationship is close, strong and 
productive.  Norway does a lot of good things around the 
globe. Despite its small size (approximately 4.5 million 
inhabitants, and 21,750 defense establishment - including 
civilians), Norway has been a meaningful partner in 
international operations to fight terrorism and secure peace. 
 It presently has 450 troops and three F-16s in Afghanistan 
and stands ready to increase its military and civilian 
contributions to Sudan.  That said, Stoltenberg's first 
foreign policy decision was to pull Norway's token presence 
out of Iraq, including the NATO Training Mission.  Norway is 
usually in line with us in NATO deliberations.  Even the 
traditionally anti-NATO Socialist Left party has had to 
accept as the price for government membership that Norway 
will support NATO and NATO missions.  The new Norwegian 
government also wants to increase the number of troops it has 
supporting UN peace keeping operations. 
 
¶7.  (C) Norway contributes significant resources to 
humanitarian assistance and development aid.  In 2004 
(completes statistics for 2005 are not yet published) 
Norway's total foreign aid budget was USD 2.2 billion (14.8 
billion NOK).  Norway has also made Afghanistan a long-term 
assistance partner and contributed in 2004 approximately USD 
43 million to Afghan development. 
 
------------------ 
Whom you will meet 
------------------ 
 
¶6.  (C) Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg at 47 years old likes 
to portray himself as a youthful and energetic leader, 
modeled on British Labour PM Blair.  This is his second stint 
as Prime Minister.  His first short term ended in a 
disastrous defeat for the Labor party in 2001, when Labor had 
its worst electoral results since the early part of the 20th 
century.  In coming to office again, he was committed not to 
suffer the consequences of running a minority government for 
a second time and fought to build a three party coalition 
with the far left Socialist Left (SV) and agrarian Center 
party (Sp).  Preserving the unity of this coalition has been 
his bottom line, forcing the Labor party into the new 
situation of having to compromise on policy stances. 
 
¶7.  (C) Stoltenberg is less interested in foreign policy than 
domestic politics, except for a few issues where he is 
passionately engaged.  One of his main priorities has been to 
focus on international health issues, especially on 
anti-malarial efforts.  He also takes his role as co-Chair of 
the UN Panel seriously, and you will find him committed to 
working with us on these issues.  However, like all 
Norwegians, Stoltenberg approaches the UN with positive bias. 
 Norwegians are taught from birth that the UN and the UN 
system are inherently good.  There is no domestic debate 
about the UN's problems, as if even to suggest they exist 
would be heresy.  Norwegians are idealists and are true 
believers in the UN. 
 
¶8.  (C) Morten Wetland is the workhorse of the Prime 
Minister's office, with long experience in the job.  A lawyer 
by training and a career Norwegian diplomat, he first started 
as a State Secretary in the PM's office in 1994, and has 
worked there for a combined total of 10 years.  He also 
served as Norway's ambassador to Berlin for five years. 
Knowledgeable, professional, and personable, he will serve 
ably as Stoltenberg's Sherpa for the UN Panel.  The only 
problem is that the PM relies on him for so many other 
things, that his time is tight.  We have been told that to 
ease Wetland's burden, he and Deputy Foreign Minister Raymond 
Johansen will share the UN Panel meetings between them. 
 
¶9.  (C) Johansen's background differs slightly.  A plumber by 
training, he started out his political career on the far left 
of Norwegian politics, representing the Socialist Left party 
on the Oslo city government for two years.  He has now moved 
closer to the political center and has been a member of the 
Labor party for well over a decade, but his foreign policy 
impulses often reflect his left-leaning biases.  He also has 
a strong personal identification with development issues, 
having served for NORAD (Norway's overseas development aid 
agency) in the 1990s, Deputy Minister at the Foreign Ministry 
during the first Stoltenberg government (2000-2001), charge 
d'affaires at the Norwegian Embassy in Asmara, Eritrea 
2001-2002, and Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee 
Council 2002-2005.  When he comes to the UN Panel, these past 
experiences and interest will color his approach.  He's going 
to be far more interested in ensuring the UN carries forward 
its humanitarian roles, than in promoting UN financial rigor. 
 
¶10.  (C) Deputy Foreign Minister Liv Monica Stubholt is cut 
from different cloth.  A high-powered lawyer from one of 
Norway's leading firms, even her staff sometimes wonder why 
she is member of the agrarian Center party, which is better 
known popularly for the hard drinking, anti-EU farmers of 
mid-Norway, than with Oslo lawyers possessed of sharp 
intellects and hard driving energy.  You will find her well 
briefed and professional.  Stubholt is the MFA's point person 
on energy, trade, and agricultural issues.  Norway needs to 
hear our message on trade issues, the Doha Round and 
agriculture; Norway is anxious to see Doha move forward, but 
also has one of the world's highest levels of agricultural 
protection for its farmers. 
 
¶11.  (C) I am delighted that you will be able to join me for 
an energy-oriented dinner at my residence.  We will have the 
who's who on Norwegian's energy community on hand.  Norway is 
the third largest exporter of oil and gas in the world. 
Hearing from you how we are approaching the G-8 energy 
security summit will be of great interest to them.  Having 
the opportunity to discuss energy issues with you, will give 
our Norwegian friends a clear sense that we want to have a 
productive and sustained energy dialogue and partnership with 
them. 
 
Visit Oslo's Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m 
 
WHITNEY