Due to the recent media interest in the Globus II radar, the Norwegian Minister of Defence, Mrs. Eldbjørg Løwer, wishes to issue the following statement for clarification:

Issues concerning the Globus II radar have been dicussed on several occasions between Norway and Russia, both at the political and working level. Norway has stressed that the radar is not to be part of any eventual future US missile defence. The radar is technically unsuited for such a role, and the agreement between Norway and the United States specifies totally different tasks for the radar. The radar at Vardø fully complies with the ABM Treaty.

We obviously have installations that monitor the Norwegian area of military interest. We cooperate with our allies, but all activities are under full Norwegian control. This does not constitute a threat towards Russia or other neighbouring countries. On the contrary, this surveillance activity provides a solid base for the national decicion-making process on defence issues, and prevents overreaction and unnecessary apprehension to Russian military activities in the North. The fact that Russia still has substantial concentrations of strategic nuclear weapons close to Norwegian territory, underlines the need for Norwegian authorities to follow the military activities in this area closely.