Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Petersen

Norway and Russia: Physical and Symbolic Borders

The Norwegian University Centre,
St. Petersburg, 5 April 2005

Check against delivery

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure for me to speak to this distinguished audience of specialists on relations between Norway and Russia. This a topic which is high on my agenda as well. I know you have been listening to other speakers and been discussing reports in the course of the day, so I will be brief and just make a point or two on the topic on your agenda.

Throughout history, relations between Norway and Russia have been peaceful and stable. And so have our borders.

Although the current border was established only in 1826, border treaties between Norway and Russia were negotiated as far back as the Middle Ages.

I will not lecture this particular audience on the Norwegian – Russian border, but merely recall the fact that Norway and Russia have been neighbours for a thousand years – without ever having been at war with each other. This a point I shall underline.

Our peaceful, long-lasting bilateral relations are portrayed in the excellent joint exhibition that my colleague Sergej Lavrov and I will open here in St. Petersburg tomorrow.

In our modern societies, borders – both physical and symbolic – are being broken down. Globalisation is posing new challenges – but more importantly – globalisation is opening up new opportunities. Efficient transport, exchange of people and fewer borders mean more openness and interaction. Today, there are more than 100.000 border crossings between Norway and Russia, every year. We want to stimulate this development. It expresses mutual trust and it means economic growth.

Relations between Norway and Russia have in the last decade therefore extended into new fields, and they have never been better, or covered a broader range of areas, than today.

The one important issue that Norway and Russia have so far not been able to resolve, however, is the question of the delimitation of the continental shelf and maritime zones in the Barents Sea. Negotiations have been in progress for almost 35 years. The process is slow, but has not come to a halt. We do have regular contact on this issue.

Although we would like to see an agreement sooner rather than later, I firmly believe that a fair delimitation is better than a speedy agreement.

When we do reach agreement on the delimitation line, this will unleash a vast potential for new co-operation.

The topics of your discussions at this seminar are of great importance to both countries. I want to extend my thanks to Dr Tatiana Dzjakson of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and professor Jens Petter Nielsen of the University of Tromsø, for their initiative and efforts to organise this seminar. I also want to thank professor Lillian Helle for hosting us. The excellent work done at this university centre means that we will for 2005 continue our economic support to the centre. [A grant of NOK 200.000 in 2005].

I wish you fruitful and rewarding deliberations – as you already have had today – and I look forward to learning about your conclusions. And before that, I look forward to seeing you at the theatre and the reception tonight, as well as at the opening of the Norwegian-Russian exhibition tomorrow in the Ethnographic Museum.

Thank you.