Chair of the Session, Ministers, Excellences and delegates to the Conference,

Norway tries to play an active role as peacemaker on the international scene. Our attempts to promote Human Rights internationally gives us a special obligation also to address the existence of racism and discrimination at home.

In Norway our present challenge is not mainly racist groups spreading terror on the streets - even though we have seen such tendencies - but more subtle forms of daily discrimination, especially in the labour market and in the housing market.

It is our duty as a Government to admit the fact that discrimination occurs, and to make whatever efforts possible to counteract this. If we do not take the problem of discrimination seriously, there is a danger that we legitimise an atmosphere where racist groups grow and thrive.

In short time the Norwegian parliament will be debating a white paper on the promotion of Human Rights, in Norway as well as abroad. In connection with this white paper, an Action Plan to promote Human Rights in Norway and abroad has been set up. A major part of the action plan deals with measures to prevent and combat racism and discrimination.

Furthermore, in 1998 the Government launched a Plan of Action to Combat Racism and Discrimination. The plan identifies seven priority areas, and lists measures to be implemented within each area. They are targeted towards the police and legal system and other key sectors of society, the labour market, the housing market, schools and local regions.

One of the most visible, as well as important measures, is the Centre for Combating Ethnic Discrimination - an independent Government body - which opened in February last year. The Centre will provide legal assistance to persons who are victims of discrimination on the basis of religion, belief, race, colour, or national or ethnic origin. It will also monitor the types and extent of racial discrimination.

The Norwegian Government is concerned with the fact that our present legislation does not provide sufficient legal protection for victims of discrimination. In March this year the Government appointed a committee to draw up proposals for an act combating ethnic discrimination. Among several questions, the committee is to review how the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) should be more visible in Norwegian law.

The Governments opinion is that to prevent and combat racism and discrimination, we have to address the problem at various levels and through various efforts. Legal protection is one. Continuous monitoring of the situation is another. Research and development programmes are also required.

Furthermore we require practical measures basically in all areas of society. I would like to draw attention to a governmental Plan of Action for Recruiting Persons with an immigrant Background to the Government Sector. The plan that was launched in 1998, aims to increase the number of persons with immigrant backgrounds working in the government sector, as well as increase awareness amongst the employers. This plan signals the Governments intention to combat discrimination in the public administration. In other words, the Government would like to set a good example.

The Government is also concerned with developing contact and dialogue with non-governmental organisations and groups that represent or work with ethnic minorities in Norway. This is important if we are to expect success in our efforts to promote inclusion of these minorities in society. The Government believes that to prevent and combat racism and discrimination, it is also important to promote tolerance diversity of values.

In Norway we have to address these topics bearing in mind not only immigrants and refugees, but also our indigenous people, the Sami. Further we have five other groups that are protected by the Council of Europe´s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, that Norway ratified in March 1999. Later this year the Government will present a report to the parliament on these national minorities.

In the past, both the Sami and several of the national minorities were subject to strong assimilation policies. Towards the second half of the past decade however, Norwegian authorities have drawn attention to, and have allocated resources towards strengthening the position of the Sami and other groups in Norway.

The European Conference, as well as The World Conference against racism, discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, is a boost to our national efforts in this field. Therefore it is also important to include broad representation of youth, indigenous peoples and national minorities in the preparations for the conference.

Thank you for your attention.