FM STOERE, NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR SHARE VIEWS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 OSLO 000700 NOFORN SIPDIS C 0 R R E C T E D C O P Y - ADDED COLLECTIVE E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2019 TAGS: AF NO PREL PTER SUBJECT: FM STOERE, NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR SHARE VIEWS ON COMMON PRIORITIES IN INITIAL COURTESY CALL REF: A: OSLO 653 B: SELINGER/HEG (EUR/NB-OSLO) EMAIL 11/03/09 OSLO 00000700 001.2 OF 003 Classified By: AMBASSADOR BARRY B. WHITE, REASONS 1.4 b and d. ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: In the Ambassador's initial courtesy call November 9, Foreign Minister Stoere welcomed Ambassador White to Norway and offered that the priorities the Ambassador outlined during his Senate confirmation hearings in September closely match the priorities of the Government of Norway. Areas for continued and enhanced U.S.-Norwegian cooperation which Stoere highlighted specifically as being at the top of his agenda included: supporting President Obama's nonproliferation and disarmament efforts; advancing Middle East peace negotiations; engaging with the U.S. and other NATO allies on appropriate strategy in Afghanistan in the wake of the McChrystal report; working for a successful COP-15 outcome and cooperation on combating climate change; and continued dialogue with the U.S. on the importance of the High North/Arctic region. In response to the Ambassador's raising ref B points on Guantanamo detainees, the Foreign Minister explained why Norway could not offer to resettle any detainees in Norway at this time. He indicated that he understood the President needs additional resettlement assistance from European countries and said the U.S. and Norway should continue to talk privately about the issue. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) FM Jonas Gahr-Stoere warmly received Amb. White during his initial courtesy call at the MFA November 9, just days after the Ambassador presented his credentials to His Majesty King Harald V. North America coordinator Morten Aasland and an Americas desk staffer participated along with the Foreign Minister; DCM Heg and PolEcon Counselor accompanied the Ambassador. Stoere emphasized his hopes for continued close cooperation between Embassy Oslo and the MFA, and between our two governments and publics more broadly. Norway feels the "winds of change" since President Obama and Secretary Clinton took office in January, including in regard to the the USG's closer consultation with Norway and other partners and allies, Stoere said. He praised the Ambassador for the priorities he outlined before the Senate in his confirmation hearings. "Those priorities correspond very closely with Norway's own views," he added, including the Ambassador's goal of maintaining and expanding people to people ties and educational exchanges. ¶2. (C) FM Stoere outlined the state of play on various issues at the top of our common agenda. He stressed his satisfaction with his frequent and open communication with Secretary Clinton, including as one example U.S. and Norwegian coordination on supporting a hospital for victims of sexual and gender-based violence in Goma, in the DRC. Highlights of his other comments include: i) (C) Disarmament/Non-proliferation: Norway will work hard to prepare the groundwork for a successful Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) conference next year; it will work to pull in those countries which need the most convincing in order to help advance the USG and Norway's shared objectives. ii) (C) Middle East Peace negotiations: Norway has a close relationship with the USG at all levels on this, and is working to support the administration's efforts. Stoere informed the Ambassador that he spoke November 5th and 7th with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak before the latter's travel to the U.S. Barak was adamant that "Israel and we in the international community must do everything in our power to keep PA President Abbas in office" (and keep him from following through on his announcement that he would not run again). Having also talked to President Abbas last week, FM Stoere feels that this time, Abbas might really step down. "We're not sure yet what that will mean and what new doors will open." As for Norway's co-chairmanship of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC),the minister said Norway works hard to keep the AHLC in concert with the political track of negotiations. "When the negotiations are moving, donor funds for PA political institutions flow well. When the process is stalled, donors, especially certain Arab donor countries, throw up their hands" (and donations dwindle). Interestingly, he offered that, "The current Israeli government ought to be given credit for -- quietly and with little fanfare -- having eased roadblocks and restrictions on Palestinian movement. The economic growth in the West Bank is encouraging, but it is certainly not yet enough to fuel the legitimacy of the PA government of President Abbas. For that, Abbas needs to see more movement on the political track," Stoere said. OSLO 00000700 002.2 OF 003 iii) (C/NOFORN) Afghanistan: The Ambassador's emphasized the importance of the allied mission in Afghanistan and expressed appreciation for Norway's continued military and civilian commitments there. Once the President has reached a decision on the way forward, the U.S. might be coming back to Norway with additional requests, the Ambassador said. FM Stoere reported that NATO Secretary General Rasmussen was in Oslo November 6, and Norway conveyed to him the GON's desire that NATO allies use the December Foreign Ministerial meeting to discuss strategic options laid out in the McChrystal report. "We await the President's decision; meanwhile, we feel we need to have an exchange among allies on this as well, " About the overall situation, he said: "We (the international community) cannot win militarily; we have to win on the civilian side." As for Special Operations Forces (SOF), Stoere noted Norway's SOF serve 18 month tours; they are currently back in Norway, but the GON intends to send them back to Afghanistan after a routine training/rest period. (C/NOFORN) Afghanistan cont'd (STRICTLY PROTECT until Stoere's travel is completed): Stoere informed us that he would be traveling to Kabul this Wednesday November 11 ahead of the inauguration of President Karzai. He planned to meet Karzai, the current Foreign Minister, former FM and former presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah, COMISAF McChrystal, and UNAMA Chief Kai Eide. (Eide is in Oslo at present and Stoere planned to meet him later on November 9). For security reasons, the minister's travel would not be announced in advance, but arrangements were being closely coordinated with U.S. Ambassador General Eikenberry and his staff. Stoere would provide a readout to us shortly after his trip, he said. iv) (SBU) Climate and COP-15: The Ambassador noted the President's commitment to working for a strong international agreement at COP-15 and to confronting the challenges posed by climate change. Stoere appreciated the difficulty of the U.S. political climate the President faces on that issue, and said he appreciated the President's efforts. He noted that he and former Vice President Al Gore planned a joint appearance in Copenhagen to present the latest scientific research on the melting ice. Emphasizing again his satisfaction at enhanced USG-Norway cooperation since the President and Secretary took office, Stoere proudly added that he and Secretary Clinton jointly led a seminar in Washington this past April on the Antarctic, as well. v) (C) High North: Stoere said the High North (Arctic area) was a top priority for Norway, and that dialogue with the U.S. and other players was important: "It's where we meet Russia." The Ambassador assured the Minister that the Secretary and the President have both indicated their interest in the High North/Arctic area as well. vi) (C) POTUS visit for Nobel Peace Prize: The FM stated the GON was working closely with the hosts of the President's visit, the Nobel Institute, to work for an "effective, useful, and appropriate" visit that was comfortable for the President and Mrs. Obama. He noted MFA political director Ellefsen and North America coordinator Aasland's productive meeting with NSC Europe official Jeff Hovenier November 6. Norway recognizes the difficult domestic agenda President Obama faces in the United States and the pressure he is under on health care and climate change legislation, with COP-15 coming up, Stoere said. He added, "You know, after this visit to Oslo, we still want our Prime Minister to go to the White House, as well." The Ambassador confirmed the U.S. was well aware of that request. Stoere asked the Ambassador for his views on the Senate's next steps after the House passed its version of Health Care legislation November 8. The minister said that coming from a parliamentary system, many Norwegians and other Europeans fail to grasp the complexity of the U.S. political system and how hard it is even for a President whose party holds a majority in one or both houses of Congress to get desired legislation passed. He makes a point in his talks to Norwegian audiences to explain the differences in the U.S. and European systems. Guantanamo Detainees -------------- ¶3. (C) The Ambassador raised some of the points in Ref B which the Department provided in response to our analysis of Stoere's public defense of the GON's decision not to offer to take GTMO detainees at this time. The Ambassador emphasized the importance of continued assistance from European states and the value of leadership from Scandinavian countries in particular, to help the President meet the objective they support: closing the Guantanamo detention facility. Stoere asked, "What is the latest status of any of the American OSLO 00000700 003.2 OF 003 states offering to resettle detainees?" PolEcon Counselor called attention to the background in Ref B that congressional legislation (in the Homeland Security authorization bill) prohibits the release of any GTMO detainees into the U.S. or its territories. The Minister indicated he had been unaware of the legislation. He offered the following: "It was our intent to keep this discussion with the U.S. low on the radar screen. Immigration,asylum, and security issues (ie, Mullah Krekar) had been hot campaign issues used against the governing coalition by right of center parties leading up to our September elections." (Embassy note: this was especially the case with the opposition Progress Party, FrP. End note). "We have (Ansar al-Islam figure) Mullah Krekar in Oslo, and we have legal obligations and courts. We cannot send him back to Iraq. Then statements by Ambassador Fried showed up on the front pages here in Norway one weekend; we had to say something publicly at that point, to state where we are right now and why we have not offered to take detainees." The Ambassador reiterated that the President needed some help from Norway and other European countries to find ways to resolve the complex issues surrounding closing GTMO. Stoere undertook to keep channels of communication open with the U.S.. He indicated the GON will keep working on ideas, adding that he hoped any discussions could remain in diplomatic channels and out of the media, to the extent possible. WHITE