Norway and the United States: Partners for the 21st Century?

Benson K. Whitney, US Ambassador in Norway, did a speech at the Norwegian Nobel Institute this monday.
Here he addressed the relationship between the two countries, and put focus on what Norway and the U.S. want of their relationship in this new century?

I would like to share some of his thoughts with you:

It would be naive to say that our special relationship has not experienced strong forces for change in the past 20 years. The end of the Cold War vastly lessened the imminent security threats within Europe and on Norway’s border. The relationship of both Norway and the United States to Russia has changed dramatically and continues to evolve. Norway’s immense oil wealth and its position as a global energy supplier have created both a new sense of independence and enormous economic interests to protect. Importantly, as generations pass, the fundamental ties of heritage with the U.S. also become slowly, but inevitably, diluted.

So I must ask – no, we must ask – does our historic special relationship have meaning in the 21st century – or is it a vestige of the past? As sovereign nations, Norway and the U.S. have a right to strike their own course. Nations must choose very carefully where their strongest ties will be because special relationships require serious commitments of energy, resources, and sometimes, sacrifice. No nation can be all things to all countries.

I agree with Mr. Whitney that relationships can weaken, but I strongly disagree on "renewing a vow" with the current administration. Yes, we have strong ties, but we also worry about a lot of issues concerning the current administration. I don't like to see that old black & white, with or against attitude. Remember, I don't think a lot of norwegians are "against" the american people, but many have doubts on the politics of their government these days.

After all there are some differences:

Norway is viewed as a trusted, non-threatening advocate for peace and development, while the U.S. brings to bear its global reach and the weight of a superpower.

After 5 months of working in Norway he also knows ways for a solution. :

Maintaining such a 21st century partnership will demand more of us than in the past. We will have to work at it. How? To start, we must combat the dilution of our people-to-people ties. Mutual understanding only comes through direct experience of one another. Norway must appreciate that America is more than SUVs, Desperate Housewives, and Oprah. The U.S. must appreciate that Norway is more than sweaters, trolls and ski jumpers.

[ez]
I want you to know that increasing the number of (student) exchanges between Norway and the U.S. will be one of my top priorities.

At the moment I know that one of his top priorities is to keep on pushing Norway to buy Joint Strike Fighter jets

I hereby, as a Norwegian, proclaim my friendship with the american people!
But I can not be a dear friend to an administration that is deliberately weakening the great visions of what the US could be.

Please download and read the whole speech. Here as a .doc:
Norway and the United States: Partners for the 21st Century?


Peace
Vaak

mod edit to use "ex" tags instead of "quote" tags
Quote Reference.
Posting work written by others. **All Members Read**

[edit on 24-5-2006 by sanctum]

Its funny that the words of an US ambassador is that US are know in Norway for a car type and TV shows I know he said that in order to change the situation, but its still laughable.

Yes, he seems to be a funny man

This is where he lives at the moment:


I used to live just across the street. Seriously!
I remember when Clinton shook Arafats hand on the door step of that house. -I would have had a first row view from my veranda had it not been for all the snipers, cops and men in black cheering joyfully in the street.
To bad I didn't scan the letter I recieved before Clintons visit. Here I was clearly told how to behave inside my own home during this seremony. The strangest thing was that it was not signed by anybody!

Fun fact on the house:

source
The renowned Norwegian architect Henrik Bull designed and built the Residence in 1911 for Hans Andreas Olsen, then Norwegian Consul General at St. Petersburg, and his wife, Esther Wilhelmine Olsen, the niece of Alfred Nobel.

When Mrs. Olsen sold the house and land to the United States government in 1924, its $125,000 price made it the most expensive official American Residence abroad, and the purchase required explicit Congressional approval.

But enough of this diplomacy chatter, no wait!
In the name of enlightening the US population on your latest achievements on the diplomatic arena I must mention, and congratulate you with your new embassy in Norway. It's a little building we used to call Forsvarets Overkommando.
I guess that could be translated to "The Defence HQ"

Question: What do you US guys know of Norway?

Peace

Originally posted by Vaak

Question: What do you US guys know of Norway?

Answer: If they have read all the threads on abovetopsecret tagged with "norway", they'd know for instance that Romoeren jumped 239 meters last year (skiflying) And they would know that Norwegian Authorities Planned To Torch Northern Norway In 1951

Threads Tagged With: norway, or Similar

My grandparents immigrated to the US in the 1950's from Bergen. Its funny that now they are reaching there twilight years, they wonder why they came here in the first place. My realatives that sill remain in Bergen, and oslo, have it much better than me and my sister. They are much more educated, make way more money, and have actual health care.