Norwegian-Russian cooperation bugged by intelligence
A significant number of the Norwegian business people regularly travelling in Northwest Russia is requested to report to the Norwegian intelligence services, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reports.
Both business representatives and regional officials now say they feel increasingly uncomfortable with the pressure from the intelligence authorities. On the one hand, they feel loyalty to their projects and partners in Russia, and on the other hand they do not want to let down the intelligence services, a TV report from NRK says.
Both military and civil intelligence is requesting information from the travellers, NRK reports.
Spokesman for the Norwegian Conservative Party, Mr. Ivar Kristiansen, says the activities of the intelligence authorities could have a destructive effect on Norwegian-Russian cooperation.
-Unless there are legitimate suspicions and firm evidence, this kind of activities could have a very negative effect on the Norwegian business people trying to get established in Murmansk, he adds to NRK.
Over the last years, cooperation between Norwegian and Russian businesses, NGOs and public institutions has seen a major development. Norway shares a 196 km long border with Russia. About 106,000 people in 2007 crossed the only border point of Storskog/Borisgleb
Photo: BarentsPhoto.com
