Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06OSLO420
2006-04-04 12:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Oslo
Cable title:
ONE LESS KREKAR HURDLE: NORWEGIAN AMBO TO IRAQ
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHNY #0420 0941246 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 041246Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY OSLO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3732 INFO RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN PRIORITY 0264 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 2048 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1334 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0898 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0475 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0074
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000420
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR, DSERCC, DS/1P/ITA, DS/IP/EUR
COPENHAGEN FOR LEGATT
OVP FOR JIM MARRS
JUSTICE FOR SWARTZ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER ASEC IZ NO
SUBJECT: ONE LESS KREKAR HURDLE: NORWEGIAN AMBO TO IRAQ
REF: OSLO 316
Classified By: P/E Counselor Mike Hammer, reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L OSLO 000420
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR, DSERCC, DS/1P/ITA, DS/IP/EUR
COPENHAGEN FOR LEGATT
OVP FOR JIM MARRS
JUSTICE FOR SWARTZ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER ASEC IZ NO
SUBJECT: ONE LESS KREKAR HURDLE: NORWEGIAN AMBO TO IRAQ
REF: OSLO 316
Classified By: P/E Counselor Mike Hammer, reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Norway now has an accredited Ambassador to Iraq.
Ambassador Sverre Stub (resident in Amman) presented his
credentials to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on April
3. This important step in formalizing relations between
Norway and Iraq has been laying in abeyance for some time
(over a year) and, now that it is done, may help facilitate
the Norwegian efforts to come into dialogue with Iraq on the
conditions for the return to Iraq of former Ansar al-Islam
leader Faraj Ahmed Najmuddin (Mullah Krekar).
2. (C) MFA desk officer for Iraq Anita Krokan (protect) told
us that she had been fighting a bureaucratic battle within
the MFA to get Ambassador Stub to schedule his presentation
of credentials. For reasons she did not specify, Krokan said
that Ambassador Stub had been reluctant to do so. However,
Krokan indicated that the way is now open for Norway to begin
discussions with Iraqi central government authorities about
the conditions for Mullah Krekar's return. Krokan did not
have a specific timeline for approaching Baghdad on the
question of Krekar's return, but Norway will wait for the
formation of a new Iraqi government.
3. (C) Comment. Public opinion against Krekar continues to
bubble, as many see his case as a prime example of severe
problems in the Norwegian immigration system. On April 4,
Norwegian daily Verdens Gang announced the immigration
"scandal" that the Norwegian Directorate for Immigration
granted Krekar's Iraqi mother-in-law permanent residence
status in Norway in the fall of 2005, even as Norway seeks
Krekar's expulsion on the grounds of national security.
Getting rid of Krekar will certainly remove one thorn from
Norwegian government's side, and Labor and Integration
Minister Bjarne Haakan Hansen has made clear that he hopes to
expel Krekar as soon as possible (reftel). That said, while
the accreditation of Ambassador Stub is a welcome step
forward in normalizing Norway's relations with Iraq that may
facilitate Norway formally approaching Iraq on the question
of Krekar's return, we still doubt that Krekar's expulsion
from Norway is imminent.
Visit Oslo's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m
WHITNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EUR, DSERCC, DS/1P/ITA, DS/IP/EUR
COPENHAGEN FOR LEGATT
OVP FOR JIM MARRS
JUSTICE FOR SWARTZ
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2016
TAGS: PREL PTER ASEC IZ NO
SUBJECT: ONE LESS KREKAR HURDLE: NORWEGIAN AMBO TO IRAQ
REF: OSLO 316
Classified By: P/E Counselor Mike Hammer, reason 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Norway now has an accredited Ambassador to Iraq.
Ambassador Sverre Stub (resident in Amman) presented his
credentials to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari on April
3. This important step in formalizing relations between
Norway and Iraq has been laying in abeyance for some time
(over a year) and, now that it is done, may help facilitate
the Norwegian efforts to come into dialogue with Iraq on the
conditions for the return to Iraq of former Ansar al-Islam
leader Faraj Ahmed Najmuddin (Mullah Krekar).
2. (C) MFA desk officer for Iraq Anita Krokan (protect) told
us that she had been fighting a bureaucratic battle within
the MFA to get Ambassador Stub to schedule his presentation
of credentials. For reasons she did not specify, Krokan said
that Ambassador Stub had been reluctant to do so. However,
Krokan indicated that the way is now open for Norway to begin
discussions with Iraqi central government authorities about
the conditions for Mullah Krekar's return. Krokan did not
have a specific timeline for approaching Baghdad on the
question of Krekar's return, but Norway will wait for the
formation of a new Iraqi government.
3. (C) Comment. Public opinion against Krekar continues to
bubble, as many see his case as a prime example of severe
problems in the Norwegian immigration system. On April 4,
Norwegian daily Verdens Gang announced the immigration
"scandal" that the Norwegian Directorate for Immigration
granted Krekar's Iraqi mother-in-law permanent residence
status in Norway in the fall of 2005, even as Norway seeks
Krekar's expulsion on the grounds of national security.
Getting rid of Krekar will certainly remove one thorn from
Norwegian government's side, and Labor and Integration
Minister Bjarne Haakan Hansen has made clear that he hopes to
expel Krekar as soon as possible (reftel). That said, while
the accreditation of Ambassador Stub is a welcome step
forward in normalizing Norway's relations with Iraq that may
facilitate Norway formally approaching Iraq on the question
of Krekar's return, we still doubt that Krekar's expulsion
from Norway is imminent.
Visit Oslo's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/oslo/index.cf m
WHITNEY