NORWAY TO JOIN EU STATEMENT ON GANJI

C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000322 SIPDIS SIPDIS NEA/IR AND DRL C O R R E C T E D C O P Y ( DECL DATE ) E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/17/2016 TAGS: IR PGOV PHUM SOCI NO SUBJECT: NORWAY TO JOIN EU STATEMENT ON GANJI REF: STATE 42097 Classified By: P/E Counselor Mike Hammer, reason 1.4 (b) and (d) (C) On March 16 we delivered reftel points to Rannveig Skofteland, Higher Executive Officer in the MFA's Middle Eastern Affairs Section. According to Skofteland, Norway would not issue a separate statement concerning Akbar Ganji's release. Norway would instead join a coordinated EU statement concerning Ganji's status, which Skofteland believes will be circulated on March 20. Skofteland opined that a coordinated EU statement makes a greater impact than separate statements. She reiterated Norway's commitment to human rights (and Ganji's case),stating that the Ganji's situation has been raised directly with the Iranian Ambassador here in Oslo. Visit Oslo's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m WHITNEY