Top diplomat gets Russian Friendship Order
OSLO: Øyvind Nordsletten, Norway’s long-serving ambassador to Russia, is awarded the Russian Friendship Order for his contribution to Norwegian-Russian relations.
-Relations between our countries and our peoples reached a new level in Nordsletten’s period as ambassador to Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a ceremony in Oslo Tuesday. –He is a bridge-builder and a friend of Russia, he added.
Nordsletten responded that his mission has been to “serve both Norway and Norwegian-Russian relations”.
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Nordsletten served as ambassador to Russia in the period 2000-2008. He has also been Norwegian ambassador to Ukraine (1992-1996).
The top diplomat was awarded the Friendship Order, the second highest civil order in Russia, just before the Norwegian and Russian foreign minister exchanged ratification protocols on the delimitation agreement for the Barents Sea.
In September, Nordsletten takes over the post as General Consul in Murmansk. –We see the appointment of Nordsletten to the post as Consul General to Murmansk as a sign of Norway’s wish to strengthen our relations in the North, Lavrov said during the ceremony.
Read also: Norway sends top diplomat to Murmansk
