Norway to reopen embassy in Baghdad (Aftenposten/Saturday)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will shortly reopen Norway’s embassy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The move, which was confirmed for Aftenposten by centrally placed sources at the Ministry, comes after Norway was chosen on Thursday to lead the UN Security Council’s Sanctions Committee on Iraq. We understand that Norwegian diplomats at the UN have discussed the plans with key members of the Security Council. The British were extremely unhappy with the idea. US representatives were also negative, but did not reject the plan outright.

NRK’s board divided (Aftenposten)

Torger Reve, chairman of the Norwegian national broadcasting company NRK, will probably inform the Minister of Culture Ellen Horn today of his intention to resign. Mr Reve’s departure could lead several of those who have already turned down the post of NRK’s chief executive to reconsider their position. The task of finding a new chief executive has divided the board. Sources Aftenposten has spoken to claim that the board’s biggest problem has not been untimely leaks, but disagreements over what kind of person is required.

Utgård willing to sacrifice the board in return for peace with Røkke (Aftenposten/Saturday)

Senior employee representative Rolf Utgård is willing to sacrifice Kværner’s board of directors if that would end the turbulence surrounding the company. Mr Utgård says he expects that Kværner’s management will shortly present a "peace plan", in which parts of the company will be spun off. This is unlikely to be enough for Kjell Inge Røkke, who will probably merge together Kværner and Aker Maritime’s oil and gas and shipping businesses.

Defence chief criticizes subordinates (Verdens Gang/Saturday)

The Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Sigurd Frisvold, is strongly critical of his own subordinates for either keeping silent or deliberately giving misleading information about the possible effects of depleted uranium in Nato ammunition. However, he was extremely evasive when asked if he intended to mount an internal investigation over the issue. "I would be extremely sorry if anyone had not given information that was 100 per cent correct. There are matters which we will have to look into with regard to our own routines," he said.

Bought trains despite warnings (Aftenposten)

When NSB, the national railway company, was considering various train options in 1990 and again in 1994 the experts’ verdict was clear – don’t buy high-speed trains. Nevertheless, in the following years 38 such trains were ordered. Despite major improvements to the lines over the next 10 years, the "Signature" supertrains will still only be able to reach their top speed of 210 km/h on a few stretches in Norway.

81 Foreign companies risk police charges (Dagsavisen)

Within a short time, 81 foreign companies may be charged with breaches of Norway’s tax legislation by the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime. The Norwegian authorities believe many of the companies deliberately avoid paying taxes in Norway. Like their Norwegian counterparts, all foreign companies are obliged to send tax returns to the Norwegian tax authorities. Several of the companies now under investigation have operated in Norway for a number of years without having sent in such details as the number of employees or total operating revenues.

Ready for new EU battle (Verdens Gang/sunday)

Eva Kristin Hansen, leader of the Norwegian Labour Youth League (AUF), says that opponents of EU membership are well enough organized to start an anti-EU campaign tomorrow. She is strongly critical of party chairman Thorbjørn Jagland’s EU policy. "The Government’s EU report is too focused on Norway’s problems as a non-member. The AUF has therefore written an alternative report to the one Mr Jagland presented," says Ms Hansen in an interview with VG. The battle lines are already being drawn up within the Labour Party ahead of the next EU struggle. As in previous battles over the EU, one of the sides is made up of the AUF.

Worth noting

• Many NRK employees heaved a sigh of relief after the head of News and Regional Programming, Tom Berntzen, announced he had accepted a job with Sponsor Service. He had notified NRK chief executive Einar Førde of his decision a couple of hours before. (Aftenposten/Saturday)
• It became known yesterday that the international firm of executive recruitment specialists, Heidrick & Struggles, has decided to withdraw from its contract to find a new NRK chief executive. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• Between 10 and 15 aid workers have served in the same area of Kosovo as the Italian soldiers who are now dying of leukaemia. The Norwegian aid workers, who are employed by Norwegian People’s Relief Association, have been located in the Italian sector from three to 12 months. The area was bombed by Nato using ammunition containing depleted uranium in 1995. (Klassekampen/Saturday)
• According to the Directorate of Taxes, many Norwegians living abroad attempt to avoid the Norwegian tax rules. Last year the Directorate asked foreign tax authorities for help in 39,000 cases, twice as many as the year before. (Dagsavisen/Sunday)
• A majority in the Storting wants to move control of state-owned enterprises from the various ministries to one single, professionally managed body. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• Petroleum and Energy Minister Olav Akselsen may run into problems finding buyers for the State Direct Financial Interest (SDFI) that the Government is planning to sell. The opportunity to invest in the small fields in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea has not generated much interest. (Aftenposten)
• The controversial business cycle tax on commercial property is to be abolished. Leading politicians from both the Labour Party and the centre alliance are now calling for the tax to be removed. (Dagsavisen/Saturday)
• Aker Maritime has finalized the sale of its deep-water business. The final agreement does not differ significantly from the one announced earlier. The sale gives Aker Maritime a profit of NOK 3.7 billion. (Dagens Næringsliv/Saturday)
• Since Oslo’s airport moved to Gardermoen the number of guests staying at hotels in Oslo has fallen dramatically. Nevertheless, the major hotel chains have invested heavily in increased capacity in the capital. (Dagsavisen/Saturday)
• Traffic surveillance cameras generated NOK 60 million in fines last year. A total of 41,295 fixed penalty fines were issued to motorists who were caught by the cameras for speeding or failing to stop at a red light. (NTB)

Today’s comment from Vårt land

The hunt for Einar Førde’s successor as chief executive of the Norwegian national broadcasting company, NRK, has become something of a farce. If nothing else, the many mistakes that have been made in the process show that the much vaunted professionalization of the board of directors has not been an unqualified success. So many things were supposed to get better when the technocrats and economists took over from board members of a calibre we thought had had its day following the end of NRK’s broadcasting monopoly. It was not to be. However, the world will not come to an end if Mr Førde stays on a few more months. It is more important that the board calms down and chooses the right person.