| News article: Iran's ambassdor threatens Norway
sunb! November 6th, 2006
Source The Norway Post Quote:
Iran's ambassador has threatened Norway after it became known that Norwegian parliamentarians wanted to meet the well known leader of the opposition in Iran, Maryan Rajavi. - Ambassadors cannot dictate Norwegian politicians, says Undersecretary of State, Raymond Johansen.
Shortly after the Storting's Foreign Policy Committee had confirmed the meeting, the Iranian ambassador asked for an urgent meeting with the committee chairman, Olav Akselsen.
During this meeting, Ambassador Abdul Reza Faraji Rad threatened Norway, saying that if a meeting between the parliamentarians and the opposition leader took place, it would have serious consequences for the relations between Norway and Iran.
- Ambassadors cannot dictate with whom Norwegian politicians should meet, underlines Undersecretary of State, Raymond Johansen, at the Department of Foreign Affairs. He says it is the Parliament (Storting) itself that decides with whom they will meet.
- They do not consult anyone. No ambassador, nor any government, says Johansen, who adds that the department will now look into this matter.
- We must find out what the ambassador has actually said, Johansen says to NRK.
However, Johansen says it is an increasing tendency among Oslo embassies to be very active and express strong views on who Norwegian politicians should meet.
- If we receive someone from Tibet, the Chinese react, a visit by Hamas is condemned by Israel and if someone comes from Czechenia the Russians react, but we ourselves decide who we shall meet, Johnson says to Aftenposten.
The Storting's security chief, Gerrit Loeberg, says to the newspaper VG that he will discuss the case with the Police Special Branch (PST).
- Such threats against Norway from an ambassador from another country is very unusual, he says.
In addition, members of the Foreign Policy Committee have wondered how the Iranian ambassador knew about the planned meeting with Maryan Rajavi,- a meeting which had not yet been made public.
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