Foreign Ministry searching for 15 Norwegians in USA (NTB)

The Foreign Ministry has still not made contact with around 20 Norwegians who are staying in the USA and whose families have not heard from them. Since Tuesday almost 150 Norwegians have listed by the Foreign Ministry as people they would like to get in touch with. On Thursday morning 15 names have still not been checked off. "But the names on the list keep changing all the time. Some are crossed off, and new ones are added," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Karsten Klepsvik. "But we have no indications that these people were in the vicinity of the World Trade Centre," emphasized Mr Klepsvik.

Jagland: Norwegian soldiers will not be called on to fight (NTB)

"The Nato resolution means that Norway may be asked to provide the USA with a level of military assistance, but I do not think that Norwegian soldiers will be directly engaged in any fighting," said Foreign Minister Thorbjørn Jagland. Mr Jagland was commenting on Wednesday evening after the Nato Council gave the go-ahead for possible joint actions against those responsible for Tuesday’s terrorist attacks on the USA. Nato considers an attack on the USA to be an attack on all 19 of the organization’s member states.

Uncertainty faces Norwegian export industry (Dagens Næringsliv)

Norway could escape largely unscathed from the international economic downturn. This is because the Norwegian economy is lubricated by the constant flow of oil from the North Sea. However, both the Norwegian Trade Council and the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry are nervous about future developments. "The USA is an important country for Norwegian manufacturing exports, and it is therefore of crucial importance how the US economy will be affected. We were already heading for a very difficult economic situation. What has happened now will create even greater uncertainty," said John Rogne, chief economist at the Norwegian Trade Council.

Financial emergency meeting (Dagens Næringsliv)

The emergency planning committee for Norway’s financial infrastructure held an emergency telephone conference yesterday. The committee is made up of representatives from the Norwegian Central Bank, the Banking, Insurance and Securities Commission, BBS (a leading provider of payment services to Norwegian Banks), the Ministry of Finance, as well as the banking associations and the IT service provider, Fellesdata. The meeting concluded the following: Information "so far indicates that no problems are expected to arise with regard to the Norwegian payment system as a result of these events. The Norwegian payment system will be open for business as usual," writes the Norwegian Central Bank.

Petersen unlikely to become PM (Aftenposten)

The Christian Democrats want support for large parts of their political platform if they are to form a coalition with the Conservatives. And the name of the prime minister must be Kjell Magne Bondevik. Today the Christian Democrats’ national committee and the party’s new parliamentary group will probably give the go-ahead for the start of negotiations with the Conservatives over the formation of a new coalition government. The Christian Democrats are fully aware that the Conservatives have a burning desire to get into power, and an equally strong desire to do so in collaboration with the Christian Democrats. The question of who will become prime minister is seen by the Christian Democrats as a test of just how willing the Conservatives are to negotiate. The Christian Democrats’ arguments in favour of Mr Bondevik include his long experience and the fact that nobody in the Conservative leadership has any experience of government at all.

Liberal leaders face tough decision (Verdens Gang)

The Liberals have said yes to talks with the Conservatives and the Christian Democrats, but are in no hurry to make a decision on whether to join them in a coalition government. "If we are invited to a meeting, we will say yes to find out what the Conservatives and the Christian Democrats are thinking. But we need time to think these things through," said Liberal Party general secretary Geir Olsen to VG. With only two MPs, it is a heavy burden to take responsibility for Government actions over a four-year period. Mr Sponheim and Co. fear that all that compromising will practically wipe out the party.

Christian Democrat anger at Grete Knudsen (Aftenposten)

The Christian Democratic Party is angry that Trade and Industry Minister Grete Knudsen has probably already decided who will sit on the board of directors of the new state investment company. In June a parliamentary majority rejected Ms Knudsen’s proposal that the state investment company should be directly under the control of her Ministry. The majority, including the Christian Democrats, voted instead to divide ownership equally between the Norwegian Industrial and Regional Development Fund (SND) and the Industrial Development Corporation of Norway (SIVA). As owners they decide who sits on the board. Ms Knudsen’s proposal regarding the composition of the board will be presented at an extraordinary meeting of the investment company on Thursday. The Christian Democrats’ Jon Lilletun has warned there will be political repercussions if the Trade and Industry Minister does not abide by the Storting’s wishes. The aim of the state investment fund is to channel risk capital into new business ventures. The state and private investors will each contribute NOK 2.5 billion to the fund.

Worth Noting

• The Civil Aviation Authority has decided to step up security measures at airports in Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen and Trondheim. Increased surveillance will also be implemented at the other Norwegian airports. (NTB)
• The Oslo Stock Exchange could fall a further 15-20 per cent. "Get out of the stock market if you cannot stand uncertainty and falling prices," is the advice of Sveinung Haartvedt, head of DnB’s shares department. (Aftenposten)
• Chairman of the Centre Party, Odd Roger Enoksen, has warned the Christian Democrats not to join a coalition with the Conservatives. Forces within the Centre Party want to tempt the Christian Democrats over to a collaboration with the Labour Party and the Socialist Left Party. (Dagens Næringsliv)
• Labour is left with the support of elderly ladies. This was the only group of voters the party managed to hang on to. Labour lost as many voters to the Conservatives as to the Socialist Left Party at the election. (Aftenposten)

Today’s comment from Dagens Næringsliv

Confusion dominates Norwegian politics, and the sixty-four thousand dollar question is: Who do the Christian Democrats want to be friends with? But forget the confusion, forget the negotiations. The voters have ensured that the Storting will now be playing a new tune – one which there is every reason to be happy about. The old majority has become a minority, which opens the way for a number of good decisions. The election campaign and the Conservatives’ early campaign success have also softened the other parties’ stand on tax cuts. The forthcoming parliamentary term would therefore probably have produced an increase in the personal allowance, a rise in the threshold for the high-income surtax and a reduction in indirect taxes, more or less regardless of the new Storting’s complexion. But the Conservatives’ rise and Labour’s fall paves the way for more good news on the tax front. The residential housing tax will be abolished, increased use of overtime will be permitted, surgery paid for by employers will not be taxed, support for the dividend tax will weaken, and the tax on share options could be eased. All this the result of the voters’ choice and the fact that the Conservatives, Christian Democrats, Liberals and the Progress Party together command a majority in the Storting. There is already much to be happy about – even before a new government has been put together. Hopefully, this is just the beginning.