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Tue, Aug 30, 2011 | WikiLeaks Documents: 09OSLO114; 09OSLO115; 09OSLO116

This political cartoon in the Oslo daily Dagbladet (2006) by Norwegian cartoonist Finn Graff and discussed in the US cable depicts Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as an armed Nazi concentration camp guard standing on a balcony overlooking scores of Palestinian victims: a reference to a scene in the film Schindler’s List. The Nazi imagery in this anti-Israel cartoon is used to incite hatred against Israel and the Jews.

WikiLeaks: Norwegian anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias

These three cables from the U.S. embassy in Oslo, February 2009, give us a nasty view on Norway’s anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias. Some of the comments, antisemitic incidents and statements these cables cites:

• Anti-Semitism in Norway, and the expression of anti-Semitic comments, has increased since the Gaza war.
• The small Norwegian Jewish community is wary of being targeted, and “Jew” has become more popular as an epithet.
• The chief Rabbi of the Oslo Synagogue reportedly receives a pile of hate mail each day.
• The rising tide of anti-Semitism represented a “terrible failure of the Norwegian establishment”
• Despite shooting at Oslo’s synagogue, planning to behead the Israeli ambassador and to attack the Israeli and U.S. embassies, the accused was convicted only of grave vandalism.
• In German-occupied Norway, Norwegian police cooperated with the Germans, rounding up almost all of the Norwegian Jewish population, most of which were sent to concentration camps.
• A 2006 cartoon in a major newspaper depicted the PM of Israel as a concentration camp guard.
• By 2007, FM Stoere decided to recognize the Palestinian Unity Government, which included Hamas Ministers. Hamas’ vow to destroy Israel was ignored or characterized as only rhetoric by the Norwegians.
• Norway’s growing minority population also plays a role in hardening public attitude toward Israel. The primary minority groups in Norway…are Muslim and stem from Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Afghanistan. They are…not surprisingly very critical of Israel.
• Norway’s Ministers and Vice Ministers have a track record of meeting with Hamas, calling for boycotts of Israel, and showing up at violent anti-Israeli riots

Read these cables below:

PART I: CONSTRAINTS ON NORWAY’S MIDDLE EAST ROLE?

Source: WikiLeaks

Reference ID: 09OSLO115
Created: 2009-02-13 14:48
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Origin: Embassy Oslo

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DE RUEHNY #0115/01 0441448
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RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
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RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000115

SIPDIS

EUR/NB, DRL, EUR/OHI, NEA/IPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2019
TAGS: PREL KPAL PGOV PINR IS NO
SUBJECT: PART I: CONSTRAINTS ON NORWAY’S MIDDLE EAST ROLE?

REF: A. OSLO 90
¶B. 06 OSLO 1047

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Kevin M. Johnson
for reasons 1.4 b and d

¶1. (C) Summary: Norway aspires to be a leader in Middle East
peace negotiations and could be a genuine asset in bringing
peace to the region. Norway’s diplomatic principles, focus
on dialogue, and mediation history have helped raise Norway’s
profile as a peacemaker. Its tense relationship with Israel
and anti-Semitism in Norway, as well as its approach to Hamas
and Hamas positions, could constrain the effectiveness of
Norway’s desired high-profile mediator role. Part II of this
cable series explores the growth of anti-Semitism in Norway
and Part III analyses Norway’s Foreign Minister’s critical
role in elevating Norway on the world stage. End Summary.

Norwegian Diplomacy: Strengths and Desire for a Big Role
——————————————— ———–

¶2. (C) Shaped by FM Stoere, Norwegian foreign policy
prioritizes peace promotion. Stoere is a skilled foreign
minister, drawing on national traditions of international
engagement, and adding his own focus on humanitarian aid and
peace promotion to create an appealing portrayal of Norway as
a world leader in peacemaking. Stoere dearly desires a
central role in shaping Middle East peace and believes he has
the ability to deliver. Norway brings clear strengths to the
table. Stoere has been careful to maintain constant ties
with Hamas (although no longer on the political level),
steady and significant support for the Palestinian Authority
and continued regular ties to Israel. Norway has a global
reputation for expertise in peace negotiations in Guatemala,
Tibet, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka among others, although
their efforts have floundered lately. Norway also willing to
spend substantial money in the promotion of peace. Norway’s
non-EU membership can also at times be helpful. (Practically,
Norway follows the vast majority of EU positions but has
diverged, most notably in holding talks with the Tamil Tigers
and Hamas, EU designated terrorist groups.)

Mediation Expertise
——————-

¶3. (C) Norwegian society values dialogue above all. Talk,
even without any expectation of results, is seen as valuable.
Anyone who draws a line and refuses to talk to an opposing
party is seen as a radical unilateralist. Conversely,
Norwegians are extremely opposed to the use of military force
to achieve goals, no matter how laudable.

¶4. (C) Compounding this aversion to force, Norwegians do not
generally see any threats. For example, they do not see a
danger from terrorism. (This attitude prevails in the MFA
and other elites, despite FM Stoere’s hotel being attacked by
suicide bombers in Kabul.) This societal attitude was
demonstrated by Norway’s first terrorist case. Despite
shooting at Oslo’s synagogue, planning to behead the Israeli
ambassador and to attack the Israeli and U.S. embassies, the
accused was convicted only of grave vandalism (although his
strict sentence showed some understanding of the severity of
the charges).

¶5. (C) Finally, Norway has substantial funds to back any
mediating role it chooses to play. Rich with energy funds,
it has for years been a leading donor to the Palestinian
authority, most recently chairing the Ad Hoc Liaison
Committee. Historically, it has been willing to commit to the
long-term, funding projects to promote peace in Sri Lanka for
example for over 27 years.

¶6. (C) Norway’s desire to make a difference combined with the
willingness to expend time and money has made it a mediator
in conflicts as far a field as Sri Lanka, Colombia, Haiti,
and Sudan. It has elevated peace and reconciliation studies
in its universities and reorganized its Foreign Ministry to
showcase its expertise in this area. It revels in its
self-described role as the “moral superpower” and points to
the Oslo Peace Accords as a defining national moment.

Norway’s History with its Jewish Community and Israel
——————————————— ——–

¶7. (C) In the Middle East, however, its history may
constrain the role it can play. Norway’s Jewish community has
always been very small and based in the country’s biggest
cities, Oslo and Trondheim. Challenges confronted the
community early on. The birth of modern Norway was its 1814
constitution, which included a clause excluding Jews (later
removed in 1851). In German-occupied Norway, Norwegian
police cooperated with the Germans, rounding up almost all of
the Norwegian Jewish population, most of which were sent to
concentration camps.

¶8. (C) Post-war Norway cultivated close ties with Israel and
much political support existed for Israel. The Norwegian
Labor Party (long the dominant party in Norway) has
historically had close ties to Israel’s labor party and Golda
Meir visited Oslo and reportedly had a friendly personal
relationship with Norwegian PM Gerhardsen. This resulted in
Norway secretly providing heavy water to the fledgling
Israeli nuclear program.

¶9. (C) The 1990s Oslo Process thrust Norway into Middle East
politics for the first time and seemed to herald peace in the
Middle East as well as a new peacemaker role for Norway. As
the Oslo Accords crumbled, ties
between Norway and Israel weakened. The Lebanon wars had a
major impact, with approximately 20,000 Norwegians serving in
UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon from 1978 to 1998. These
soldiers came home with sympathetic reports about Palestinian
refugees and negative impressions of Israelis. Israeli
settlements and walls in the West Bank, and invasions of
Lebanon and Gaza contributed to Norwegians’ increasingly
negative view of Israel.

¶10. (C) This shift was so dramatic that a 2006 cartoon in a
major newspaper depicted the PM of Israel as a concentration
camp guard. During the 2006 war in Lebanon prominent author
Jostein Gaarder made a statement saying “I refuse to
recognize the state of Israel” and characterized Judaism as
“an archaic national and warlike religion.” (See septel and
ref B for a detailed discussion of anti-Semitism in Norway.)
By 2007, FM Stoere decided to recognize the Palestinian
Unity Government, which included Hamas Ministers. Hamas’ vow
to destroy Israel was ignored or characterized as only
rhetoric by the Norwegians. Norway became the leading
dissenter to international norms (only joined by
Switzerland), willing to overlook Hamas’ stated aims in
pursuit of dialogue at all costs. At this point, some
Israeli officials began to characterize Norway as the most
anti-Israel state in Europe. (Note: Although the GON would
deny it, there are clear signs that contacts with Hamas go
beyond a tactical desire for dialogue to a level of sympathy
for Hamas positions. The FM once told DCM for example that
one could not expect Hamas to recognize Israel without
knowing which borders Israel will have. While the FM
expresses some sympathy for Hamas’ positions only in
unguarded moments, other prominent Norwegians go further.
End Note.)

¶11. (C) Norway’s growing minority population also plays a
role in hardening public attitude toward Israel. The primary
minority groups in Norway (25% of Oslo’s population) are
Muslim and stem from Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, and
Afghanistan. They are interested in Middle East politics and
not surprisingly very critical of Israel. (See reftel A.)
“Traditional” Norwegians are independently quite critical of
Israel as discussed above, but it is likely that this
viewpoint will be re-enforced by the growing minority groups
in Norway.

Gaza’s Impact
————-

¶12. (C) The recent Gaza war further hardened anti-Israel
attitudes in Norway’s public and elite opinion, with the
notable exceptions of the Progress Party (about 25% of the
vote) and the small Christian Democratic Party. However the
size of recent pro-Israel (500) and anti-Israel
demonstrations (over 10,000) illustrate the prevailing
sentiments. (See reftel A.)

¶13. (C) Since the Gaza war, the question of whether
anti-Semitism is on the increase became the subject of an
intense public debate. Much of the debate centers on
defining when comments by public figures are or are not
anti-Semitic. Press coverage and public opinion of the Gaza
war was overwhelmingly, and at times vehemently, anti-Israeli
and pro-Palestinian (viewing Israeli tactics as brutal and
Palestinians as innocent victims). Therefore the question of
anti-Semitism has often been phrased in terms of when
criticism of Israel crosses the line into anti-Semitism.
(See septel for a detailed discussion of the strong comments
that have been made by leading Norwegian politicians
questioning the ability of Jewish members of the Obama
government to give unbiased advice and outlining the sense of
threat felt by the Norwegian Jewish community.)

¶14. (C) On the official level, Hamas’ rocket attacks against
Israel received criticisms, but the clear focus of Norwegian
diplomacy encouraged Israel to be restrained and to maintain
dialogue. While FM Stoere has been careful to criticize both
parties, Norway clearly places most of the blame for the
conflict on Israel’s policies.

Israel’s Reaction
—————–

¶15. (C) The Israel Government has chosen, according to an
Embassy official, to take a very low key approach to Norway’s
negative views towards Israel. They see no point in openly
pressing the government. With GON Ministers and Vice
Ministers having a track record of meeting with Hamas,
calling for boycotts of Israel, and showing up at violent
anti-Israeli riots, the Israel Embassy holds out very little
hope that the current GON can ever act moderately towards
Israel. That said, they appreciate that the GON MFA is
disciplining one of its own for anti-Semitic emails and that
an initial meeting between FM Stoere and the Israeli
Ambassador was very positive. They hope that small steps
suchQs an R&D agreement may bring some slight warming of
relations.

¶16. (C) However, the Israeli Embassy official noted that
while his view of the GON may be negative, the view of Norway
in the GOI is even less positive, and the view of the Israeli
public which sees only negative items about Norway in the
media is even less. Therefore, while Israel can tolerate
Norway being the Chair of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for
Palestine (ADHL), the idea of any greater role for Norway in
Middle East talks is unpalatable.

Comment
——-

¶17. (C) Norway, and particularly their charismatic Foreign
Minister, has a strong interest in playing a peacemaker role.
With money to spend and open channels to all parties in the
conflict, they bring important assets to this role. However,
Norway’s attitudes towards Israel and Hamas also constrain
Norwegian diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. Norwegian
public and elite opposition to most of Israel’s actions and
their view that Israel does not value dialogue is widely
reported. A level of Norwegian sympathy for some Hamas’
positions, hidden behind its broad policy of dialogue with
all, should be kept in mind as we engage with Norway on U.S.
Middle East priorities. End comment.

WHITNEY
WHITNEY

PART II: RISING NORWEGIAN ANTI-SEMITISM AFFECTING ITS ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

Source: WikiLeaks

Reference ID: 09OSLO114
Created: 2009-02-13 14:48
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Origin: Embassy Oslo

VZCZCXYZ0004
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DE RUEHNY #0114/01 0441448
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FM AMEMBASSY OSLO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7356
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
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RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000114

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/09/2019
TAGS: PHUM KIRF KWBG SOCI PREL PGOV PINR IS NO
SUBJECT: PART II: RISING NORWEGIAN ANTI-SEMITISM AFFECTING
ITS ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

REF: OSLO 90

Classified By: DCM Kevin M. Johnson for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)

¶1. (C) Summary: Anti-Semitism in Norway, and the expression
of anti-Semitic comments, has increased since the Gaza war.
The small Norwegian Jewish community is wary of being
targeted, and “Jew” has become more popular as an epithet.
While the issue of anti-Semitism is frequently debated in the
media, Norwegians society has difficulty confronting it.
Compared with Americans, Norwegians generally are more
reluctant to accuse anyone of anti-Semitism, more reluctant
to judge offense by the standards of the offended group, and
more likely not to differentiate between Jews and Israelis.
Israeli embassy officials have told us that increased
Norwegian anti-Semitism is viewed in Israel as consistent
with Norway’s general anti-Israel bias, and anti-Semitism’s
rise further diminishes Norway’s ability to mediate in the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. End Summary.

Public Debate over Rahm Emmanuel
——————————–

¶2. (C) Over the last two months, a former prime minister,
Kare Willoch, and a preeminent commentator on U.S. policy,
Ole Moen, were accused of making comments that were
anti-Semitic. On December 30 in a television debate program,
when asked about the prospect for progress in the Middle East
with Obama leading negotiations, Willoch said, “it doesn’t
look good, because he has chosen a Jew as a chief of staff.”
Mona Levin, a Jewish columnist who also participated in the
television debate, later wrote a column in which she accused
Willoch of both anti-Semitism and racism for sending a
message that Jews can’t be trusted and blacks are easily
manipulated. She also commented on a feeling of hatred she
perceived from him during the television debate, noting he
pointedly said “you people,” although her family has lived in
Norway since the 19th century. Many voices in the media
(including Willoch’s own) have risen to his defense. Willoch
has for years been an especially strident voice against
Israeli policy.

¶3. (C) Ole Moen is the most frequently quoted academic on US
policy. During the election, he predicted that Americans
would never elect either a black man or a woman due to the
racism and sexism that he believes permeates American
society. On January 9 Moen said Obama “has appointed many
Jews and pro-Israel people in his administration. …This
makes me have little hope for significant change (in Middle
East policy.)” Despite complaints by a prominent commentator
that Moen characterized Jews as a group and appears to have
assumed Jews don’t have independent opinions as individuals,
because they’re Jewish, no apology was offered. Both Willoch
and Moen publicly and repeatedly rejected the
characterization of their comments as anti-Semitic. Despite
the “debate” about the issue, neither has truly been tarred
as an anti-Semite in the Norwegian consciousness.

Anti-Semitic Attitudes Spreading?
——————————–

¶4. (C) Anecdotal evidence shows the small Jewish community in
Norway, comprising about 1000 members, are experiencing a
growing fear of rising anti-Semitism. When attempting to
write a January 10 story about how Jewish families were
dealing with the fallout from the war in Gaza, a major
newspaper found that most of those contacted refused to be
interviewed, because they were afraid of being targeted if
they appeared in the paper. One orthodox Jewish family in
Oslo chose not to take their children to synagogue, as their
appearance on the street makes them especially vulnerable.
Some Jewish parents are walking with their children to school
as an added security measure. There have been reports of
bullying at school, where Jewish children are subject to
insults. A recent expose on anti-Semitism in a major paper
found that “Jew” has become an epithet among both Muslim and
Christian teenagers. One Muslim teenager interviewed
commented that his friends say that the Israelis “aren’t
people.” When pressed by the reporter on what that meant, he
responded, “well of course we know they’re people, but when
we say they’re inhuman, we mean they aren’t good people.”

¶5. (C) The chief Rabbi of the Oslo Synagogue reportedly
receives a pile of hate mail each day. Typical salutations
on such mail are, “Murderers,” “Maybe Hitler was right,” “May
hatred toward you Jews grow and strengthen,” and so forth.
In a question that typifies the general views of the
Norwegian media, a reporter asked the Rabbi bluntly, “Don’t
you understand that the world is outraged by the gruesome
attacks against the civilian population in Gaza?” The Rabbi
answered that he understood the terrible tragedy for the
civilian population in Gaza, but that hatred was growing and
impacting Jewish people who had never even been to Israel.
According to an Israeli embassy official, during a dinner in
honor of a visiting member of the Knesset, some Jewish
Israeli-Norwegian married couples commented that among people
like themselves, many were talking of moving to Israel,
because they did not want to expose their children to fear
and hatred. The Knesset member said he would communicate
this back to the Israeli government. Leon Bodd, a local Oslo
politician who is Jewish, as well as his daughter, have
received threats by mail. During the Gaza war, online
comment sections on articles in the main Norwegian newspapers
were full of often hate-filled invective, most of which
condemned Israel, some of which referred interchangeably to
Israelis and “Jews.” (Note: In one online chat sponsored by
a major newspaper, the Israel Charge chose to respond to a
question that included various threats in order to share with
the public the nature of these types of comments. MFA
Protocol upon seeing the question appear on the internet
newspaper site, called up the editor to demand its removal.
The editor choose to retain the exchange. The Israeli
embassy interpreted this action as a GON effort to downplay
the existence of anti-Semitism.)

¶6. (C) In mid-January, a first secretary at the Norwegian
embassy in Saudi Arabia used the MFA’s email system to send
out a fundraising email appeal for Gaza with images comparing
Israeli soldiers with Nazi soldiers, urging recipients to
forward it as a chain letter. The MFA said it would be dealt
with as an internal personnel matter and there has been no
further public information given on the disposition of the
case.

¶7. (C) The atmosphere forced FM Stoere to acknowledge the
problem and on January 18th he visited Oslo’s synagogue to
show solidarity with Norwegian Jews who “feel alienated” and
are “experiencing growing anti-Semitism.” Stoere said it was
important to show the Jewish community that Norway supports
them and that criticism experienced in the public is directed
at Israel’s conduct in Gaza. While acknowledging the
delicacy of his speaking about the Norwegian Jewish
community, an Israeli diplomat told emboffs that the problem
is that it was only the Jews in the room who heard this
message from Stoere, as it was not directly or widely covered
by the media. He said he believed the rising tide of
anti-Semitism represented a “terrible failure of the
Norwegian establishment,” with for example Finance Minister
Halvorsen initially participating prominently an anti-war
parade that ended with a full-scale riot in front of the
Israeli embassy. Cries of, “Kill the Jews!” were heard at
this demonstration. Police had not seen such violent
demonstrations since the 1980s. Interestingly, one
pro-Israel demonstration in Bergen was cancelled because
police told organizers that they could not protect
participants. See reftel for more information on the recent
riots.

Comment
——-

¶8. (C) Post has no doubt that anti-Semitism is both
increasing and becoming more obvious in Norway, and it is a
good sign that at least it is being discussed. Norwegian

society, however, has obstacles to effectively combating it.
First, a deep-seated fundamental belief by Norwegians that
their national character is deeply and essentially “good,”
makes Norwegians reluctant to accuse one of their own of a
sin perceived to be as odious as anti-Semitism. Second,
whether an anti-Semitic (or racist) statement has been made
is determined by the speaker, not the offended group. Even
unacceptable statements are forgiven so long as the speaker
insists upon his or her good intentions. Third, Norway
follows a social model based on consensus rather than
individualism, so Norwegians are somewhat more prone to have
difficulty differentiating between individuals and groups.
In many discussions with Norwegians, there is often an
assumption that all Jews agree with IsraQi policy. The
public mention of USG officials in this regard is only an
extreme example of local opinion.

¶9. (C) For all of these reasons, latent anti-Semitism is more
likely to be expressed publicly, if indirectly, and in turn
increase anti-Semitism in society at large. Offended
Norwegians feel constrained about protesting anti-Semitism,
since they would be questioning the Norwegian self-image.
Post believes that the “legitimization of rage” practiced by
the Norwegian media, in which outrage over Israeli policy is
encouraged, has contributed to an atmosphere in which
anti-Semitism is easier for ordinary Norwegians to express;
there is no corresponding freedom to attack Hamas, however,
sine the local narrative predominantly blames Israel. Given
the response to the Gaza war, Post believes further increases
in tension in the Israeli-Palestianian conflict are likely to
result in increased anti-Semitism in Norway. These
developments have not gone unnoticed by the Israeli
government, and that diminishes Norway’s ability to play a
mediating role in the conflict.

WHITNEY

PART III: NORWEGIAN FM STOERE: THE WORLD AT HIS FEET

Source: WikiLeaks

Reference ID: 09OSLO116
Created: 2009-02-13 14:49
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Origin: Embassy Oslo

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SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/NB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/11/2019
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KPAL IS NO
SUBJECT: PART III: NORWEGIAN FM STOERE: THE WORLD AT HIS
FEET

Classified By: DCM Kevin M. Johnson for reasons 1.4 (b,d)

1.(C) Summary. Jonas Gahr Stoere has served as Foreign
Minister in the current Stoltenberg cabinet since its
foundation in 2005. Known as an ambitious, skilled
networker, Stoere represents the centrist-right wing of the
Labor Party, and is very popular across Norwegian society.
The 49-year-old largely determines the shape of Norway’s
foreign and security policy, towering over a weak MOD and
leading a domestically-focused Prime Minister. He has gained
influence globally beyond Norway’s relative importance.
Bolstered by domestic support and some notable international
successes, Stoere believes he is morally superior to and
smarter than most, and feels that he should have the ear of
the Secretary of State. This attitude, along with Stoere’s
ceaseless attacks on the use of force, promotion of dialogue
at all costs, disarmament, and independent peace-brokering,
have at times created clashes with U.S. policy. His support
for some Hamas’ positions argues for caution in dealing with
him on the Middle East. However, Stoere is an Atlanticist
who places great value on a positive relationship with (and
recognition from)the U.S. End Summary.

Stepping Stones to Power
———————–

2.(SBU) Stoere grew up in an upper-class setting and
reportedly flirted with the center-right Hoyre Party before
choosing to work for the traditionally blue-collar Labor
Party, a popular move in social-democratic Norway. An
internationalist who received his education in Political
Science in Paris and at Harvard Law School, his first major
international position was as the World Health Organization’s
Chief of Staff. This position was followed by a year as
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg’s Chief of Staff from 2000 to
¶2001. Stoere bolstered his credentials with the humanitarian
community by serving as the Norwegian Red Cross’ Secretary
General from 2001 to 2005. After a heated run for the post,
he was picked as FM in PM Stoltenberg’s second government.

Dialogue at all Costs
———————

3.(C) Internationally, Stoere has received attention on
several key issues, illustrating his priorities and values.
In 2007, he was the first (ultimately only joined by
Switzerland) Western official to recognize the Hamas-led
coalition government and to provide aid to Hamas-controlled
Ministries, urging other countries to lift sanctions.
Despite the failure of the Unity Government, Stoere remains
convinced of the rightness of his approach and has recently
called for Hamas as well as the Palestinian Authority to be
involved in talks on the future of the Israeli-Palestinian
crisis. Many members of parliament, including the President
of the Storting (Labor) criticized Stoere for acting
unilaterally on Hamas. His willingness to engage Hamas is not
overlooked by the Israelis (with an Israel Embassy official
having prominently displayed photos on his office wall of the
MFA Vice Minister meetings with Hamas as an ironic
statement.) On the other hand, Stoere gets kudos from the
Israeli government for having productive meetings with their
new Ambassador and taking proactive steps to discipline an
MFA official who sent an anti-Semitic email.

4.(SBU) Stoere also vocally promotes continued dialogue with
Russia, in NATO and outside. Proud of Norway’s history of
peace and constructive relationship with Russia in the
Barents region, Stoere actively pushes for continued dialogue
with Russia, even doing so shortly after the Georgia war.

Disarmament a Top Priority
————————-

5.(SBU) Reflecting his belief in disarmament, Stoere and
Norway were among the most skeptical NATO allies regarding
missile defense plans. Stoere only moderated his critical
comments after a meeting with Secretary Rice where she
clearly and publicly outlined her views. He did not choose
to meet with General Obering, then commander of the Missile
Defense Agency, during his visit to Oslo in May of 2008.

When it became clear that Norway stood alone in its
willingness to veto the NATO missile defense proposal, Stoere
worked to ensure language that Norway could approve, showing
his understanding of NATO solidarity.

6.(SBU) The Oslo Cluster Munitions treaty, signed in December
2008, was a direct success for FM Stoere. Launching the
initiative in February of 2007, Stoere called for an
international treaty banning cluster munitions. In an
impressive effort, his team succeeded in drafting the treaty
and attracting over 100 signatories, including the majority
of NATO allies. U.S. concerns over interoperability were
dismissed as alarmist and it took high-level USG intervention
to ensure that the treaty did not harm our ability to operate
with NATO allies.

¶7. (SBU) With the successful conclusion of the cluster
munitions treaty, Stoere’s next target is nuclear
disarmament. Norway has long supported the Non-Proliferation
Treaty’s disarmament aspects and was instrumental in the 2005
seven-nations’ initiative calling for increases in the size
and speed of disarmament activities. Norway hosted a nuclear
disarmament conference in Oslo in February 2008 and is
actively pushing for a renewed commitment to the NPT, test
bans, and further reductions in nuclear weapons, including
eliminating NATO’s nuclear weapons.

Afghanistan and NATO
——————–

8.(SBU) Stoere has been a strong advocate of NATO’s
engagement in Afghanistan but has been critical of military
aspects, believing civilian aid is the key factor. His
attitude persists despite a dramatic trip to Afghanistan in
January 2008 where he survived a terrorist attack on his
hotel. The Minister’s travel plans were announced in
advance, and some claim that this caused the Taliban’s timing
of the attack. Despite criticism from the media and some
political rivals, Stoere restated his emphasis on a civilian
presence and helped push the successful candidacy of Kai Eide
to head UN efforts. Stoere has backed up his position by
ensuring that Afghanistan remains the largest recipient of
Norwegian aid, and by continuing to support the Norwegian
military presence in Northern Afghanistan.

Not Known for Negotiating Ability, but Looking for a Role?
——————————————— ————-

¶9. (C) Norway is involved in Sudan, Tibet, Somalia, the
Philippines, Colombia, Sri Lanka negotiations and peace
promotion, but has had no clear successes since the 1996
Guatemala peace accords. Stoere himself has not participated
in any peace negotiations, leaving the work on Sri Lanka to
his Development Minister colleague. While smart and dynamic,
some wonder if his arrogance might not be off-putting in a
negotiation setting. It is worth noting that in a
complicated division of responsibilities with the Development
Minister, Stoere has retained control of development
assistance in the Middle East and Afghanistan, indicating
that he may be looking for a high-profile role in these two
regions to try out his negotiating skills and boost his
image.

10.(SBU) Stoere has clear ambitions for further high-office
in Norway or abroad. He has a secure place on the Labor
Party’s nomination list for the September 2009’s
Parliamentary Elections and will enter Parliament, running
for office for the first time. This is an opportunity to
prove himself in domestic politics and an apparent move
towards party leadership. Both pundits and the general
public share a mutual belief that the stage is set for Stoere
to become the new Labor party leader when Prime Minister and
longtime friend Jens Stoltenberg steps down. Other
suggestions are a possible career in the international arena,
including Secretary General of NATO or high-level U.N. roles.
In either path, a success in peacemaking would be a great
plus.

Politician Turned Author
————————

11.(SBU) In the fall of 2008, Foreign Minister Stoere wrote
(directly or indirectly) two books. The first, “To Make a
Difference,” consists of a collection of essays reflecting on
issues such as the United States, the Middle East,
international law, Afghanistan, the High North (Arctic),
health policy as well as anecdotes from his meetings with
political leaders
(including Ambassador Whitney and Deputy Secretary of State
Negroponte). The book has become a national bestseller,
thanks in part to the MFA buying a copy of the book for each
employee.

¶12. (SBU) Writing the book spurred public debate: Stoere was
the first Norwegian Foreign Minister since World War II to
write a book while in office. Stoere writes that Norway
needs to dare to test whether the established tenets of its
foreign policy are still valid, suggesting that Norway needs
to further focus on its own interests. Stoere devotes a
chapter to the transatlantic ties, viewing the relationship
between Norway and the U.S. as a dynamic and prosperous one,
but with a few noticeable bumps in the road in the past years.

13.(SBU) Stoere also commissioned another book entitled,
“Norwegian Interests: Foreign Policy for a Globalized World.”
This was a product of a year-long MFA project, defining the
new challenges of the 21st century and reassessing Norway’s
national interests. The book concluded by prioritizing
policies of particular interest to Norway as well as
encouraging more debate and dialogue with the world outside.

¶14. (C) While many within MFA welcome the high profile the FM
brings to the Ministry through his books and presence, others
complain that he fails to listen and feels too superior–a
cardinal sin in Norway. Some felt the title of his book was
too Anglicized and the book itself self-promoting. They
interpreted the book as an appeal to a global audience
presumably in aid of obtaining a position outside Norway.

Comment
——-

¶15. (C) Norwegian public opinion lionizes FM Stoere, who is
consistently ranked as the most popular politician in Norway.
He has built a strong domestic support base that could carry
him into the PM’s office. He is a very intelligent, confident
and active foreign minister and firmly believes reports about
his growing influence and glowing future. Aside from some
self-examinations after the terrorist attack on his hotel in
Afghanistan, he has expressed no doubts about his policies or
decisions, including his failed gambit to “lead” the West
toward opening to Hamas after the foundation of the National
Unity Government. Even in areas where he has little
experience such as in direct peace negotiations, he clearly
conveys his belief that his superior skills would make him
invaluable.

¶14. (C) Skeptical about the use of force, and highly valuing
dialogue and disarmament, Stoere’s policies often clashed
with those of the Bush Administration, but he worked hard to
ensure close relations with Washington principals. He
clearly appreciates Norway’s close historical relationship
with the U.S. and has a clear-headed understanding of
Norway’s reliance on the U.S. as its ultimate security
guarantee. He also understands that tackling global problems
closest to his heart (fighting poverty, climate change,
Middle East peace, etc) will require cooperation with the
U.S. He will remain an active and persistent voice for
attention from the U.S. and could be a valuable ally in many
international debates.

WHITNEY
WHITNEY