VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNY #0688 3581322
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 231322Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7250

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000688 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/CEN ALBERT KRAAIMOORE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/23/2018 
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL NU NO
SUBJECT: NORWEGIANS RELUCTANT TO CUT AID FOR NICARAGUA 
 
REF: STATE 132044 
 
Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor George Noll for reasons 1.4(b 
) and (d) 
 
¶1. (C) Poloff met with Kjersti Rodsmoen, head of the Latin 
America section of the MFA, who expressed official concern 
over developments in Nicaragua but little interest in 
actually reducing Norway's budget support.  At the same time, 
Rodsmoen said that Norway would limit its 2009 budget support 
to 2008's figure of 20 million kroner (approx $3.2 million) 
rather than the 25 million kroner it had pledged for 2009 at 
a budget support group meeting this fall.  She said she hoped 
this would send the proper signal to the Nicaraguan regime. 
Rodsmoen and poloff had discussed on a previous demarche how 
Norway's ambassador to Nicaragua upbraided the Nicaraguan 
foreign minister in a private meeting shortly after the 
election. 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Nicaraguan elections have generated interest in 
parliament, and during criticism by the center-right parties 
in early December of Norway's aid policy, Development 
Minister Erik Solheim had the following to say: 
 
"I wouldn't say that we "threaten to hold back budget 
support."  I would rather say that Norwegian budget support 
demands from countries that receive budget support that 
certain reasonable conditions must be met, such that the 
support can actually function.  That means that there is a 
credible opposition, there is a functioning parliament, and 
that there are review systems.  I am unsettled by the 
developments in Nicaragua, I'm not trying to downplay that. 
We will continue to follow those developments, and over the 
next year we may come to new conclusions." 
 
¶3. (C) Comment: Post doubts that Norway will significantly 
cut its budget support to Nicaragua absent additional human 
rights or other violations over the coming months, given the 
limited steps already taken, and given that parliamentary 
attention to this issue will likely fade. 
JOHNSON