- US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice threatened Norway
with "serious political consequences" after Finance Minister
and Socialist Left Party leader Kristin Halvorsen admitted to supporting
a boycott of Israeli goods
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- The reaction was reportedly given to the Norwegian embassy
in Washington DC, and it was made clear that the statements came from the
top level of the US State Department, newspaper VG reports.
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- VG claims that two classified reports promised a "tougher
climate" between the USA and Norway if Halvorsen's remarks represented
the foreign policy of the new red-green alliance of the Labor, Socialist
Left and Center parties.
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- Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre,
responded immediately with written explanations to both Israel and the
USA, clarifying the government's stance, while Halvorsen distanced her
party's policy from that of the government's.
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- http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1196096.ece
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- Minister Apology Over Boycott Backing
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- By TJ Reporter
- 1-12-6
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- Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen withdrew her support
for the action following intense criticism from fellow politicians, Israel
and the US. But she insisted the decision to make the public apology was
entirely her choice.
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- She told Norwegian television: "I regret that I
supported the initiative to boycott Israel. It was my mistake as a member
of government to make a political statement in a way that opposes the policy
of the majority of the government.
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- Halvorsen, whose Socialist Left Party is part of a coalition
government, had said last week she would like to see wider support for
an Israel boycott passed recently by the region of Sor-Trondelag.
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- She urged consumers "to decide to drop products
and services from Israel, and make other choices in the shops.
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- Norway,s Prime Minister Jan Stoltenberg immediately made
clear the boycott was contrary to government policy, adding that a letter
to that effect had been despatched both to Halvorsen and the Israeli embassy.
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- The Simon Wiesenthal Centre has condemned the Sor-Trondelag
boycott as "a continuation of Norway's collaborationist history during
the nazi era.
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- It added that the boycott placed the Oslo government
in the camp of "the forces of terrorism.
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- http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/world/?content_id=2469
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