Petersen deaf to Christian Democrats’ pleas (Dagsavisen)

Foreign Minister Jan Petersen did not mention Norwegian opposition to cluster bombs during his first meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powel, which took place yesterday. He ignored his coalition partner’s plea to raise the issue. "It was more important to discuss the main problem," said Mr Petersen.

Attac Norge calls for openness on WTO (Klassekampen)

Attac Norge has accused the Government of a lack of openness over Norway’s stance on the WTO. The organization is demanding answers to 17 questions which will be handed to the Prime Minister today. On eight of the points Attac wants political clarification of the Government’s negotiating position and a general evaluation of the negotiating climate in the WTO. Attac Norge has criticized the Government for a lack of information and openness regarding Norway’s position ahead of the WTO summit which starts 9 November.

Brende wants start to trade in greenhouse gas quotas (Aftenposten)

Environment Minister Børge Brende wants a trading system for greenhouse gas quotas to start up as quickly as possible. He is planning to introduce a national quota system by March next year. When the previous Labour government presented its climate change report this summer it was claimed that further evaluation was needed if a quota trading system was to be implemented before 2008. Trade in emission quotas is one of the most important measures the world’s industrial countries can use to meet their Kyoto obligations by 2008. An increasing number of countries have made it clear that they wish to start quota trading at both the national and international level as soon as possible.

Refuses to back down (Dagsavisen)

Centre Party chairman Odd Roger Enoksen believes the idea of forming a coalition with the Labour Party needs time to mature in the Centre Party’s collective mind. But he refuses to back down over his controversial proposal. Mr Enoksen has been roundly criticized by fellow party members after he said in an interview with Dagsavisen that he is working for the formation of a coalition with the Labour Party. Former Secretary General of the party, Per Olaf Lundteigen has lambasted Mr Enoksen for his flirt with Labour. Mr Enoksen’s two deputy chairmen have also criticized the timing of his comments.

Extra service for Progress Party (Dagens Næringsliv)

Finance Minister Per-Kristian Foss has decided to give the Progress Party extra service, and has regular consultations with Siv Jensen, the Progress Party deputy leader and chairman of the Storting’s Finance Committee. It is normal for the Finance minister to consult with the economic policy spokesmen for the governing coalition parties, so every Wednesday Mr Foss meets with representatives of the Conservative, Christian Democratic and Liberal parties. What is more unusual is Mr Foss’s decision to hold regular meetings with the Progress Party, which is not part of the Government and which does not define itself as part of the Government’s parliamentary base.

Twice as many benefit claims rejected (Dagsavisen)

One in four people who apply for disability benefit has their claim turned down. The number of rejections has more than doubled since 1990. Deputy head of the National Insurance Scheme, Ola H. Strømmen, believes the most important thing is the way those on long-term sickness benefit are followed up, not the number of rejected disability benefit claims. "If we had had a better system and followed up those on long-term sickness benefit more adequately, we would be left with only those who were entitled to disability benefit. The number of rejections would therefore be zero," he said.

NOK 9 million for job switch (Dagens Næringsliv)

Arne A. Jensen has stepped down as chief executive of the ailing domestic airline, Braathens, to take over as head of the equally beleaguered IT company, Merkantildata. On his way out of Braathens Mr Jensen takes with him NOK 4.4 million in severance pay, and if SAS finally do end up acquiring Braathens he will probably get an additional bonus. In return for a commitment to stay as chief executive of Merkantildata for three years, Mr Jensen will receive NOK 4.6 million. Stock options and an annual salary of NOK 2.4 million come on top. Both the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) are critical of Mr Jensen’s financial package. Merkantildata’s employees, on the other hand, have no complaints.

Norway takes gamble with cod stocks (Dagbladet)

Norwegian authorities have turned a deaf ear to the scientists who claim our fishermen are catching too many cod. Negotiations surrounding cod quotas are carried out in deepest secrecy. "The lack of openness in Norwegian fisheries management violates the international rules Norway has agreed to abide by," claims Olav Shram Stokke, head of research at the Fritjof Nansen Institute. Calls for greater openness with regard to Norway’s quota policies are mounting. In Norway a tight-knit circle of people decide the future of natural resources worth tens of billions of kroner.

County politicians consider formation of super-county (Dagsavisen)

County politicians are toying with the idea of merging Oppland, Hedmark, Akershus and Østfold counties into one super-county. In less than two weeks the chairmen of the four county councils will meet with Local Government Minister Erna Solberg (Con) to discuss their ambitious plans. Any such merger will have to be completed well before the county council elections in 2003.

Worth Noting

1. Norwegian bishops are full of arguments both for and against the bombing of Afghanistan. A straw poll Vårt Land has carried out shows that the majority have great difficulty taking as clear a position as Bishop Odd Bondevik, who last week demanded a halt to the bombing. (Vårt Land)
2. "The WTO has a negotiating structure which cannot be changed," said Elspeth Tronstad, State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry. "I feel that everyone who has had something to say has been heard, and had their questions answered," said Ms Tronstad in an interview with Klassekampen. (Klassekampen)
3. The Police and the Armed Forces will be on the highest security alert during the Peace Prize award ceremony in Oslo next month at which UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will receive this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. (Verdens Gang)
4. Bellona, the Norwegian environmental foundation, is demanding that Norsk Hydro not be awarded any new oilfields before the company can document that it complies with Norway’s environmental regulations. The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) has repeatedly criticized Norsk Hydro for non-compliance with environmental regulations. Norsk Hydro has admitted it has breached the regulations and has promised to do better, reports NRK. (NTB)
5. Local politicians in the Oslo Fjord area ignore the Planning and Building Act, which restricts the construction of sea-front property. Since 1982 they have granted permission to put up 7,800 new sea-front properties. The Storting’s Environment Committee is planning to close the loopholes in the Act. (Aftenposten)
6. The Government has decided to axe former Education Minister Trond Giske’s proposal that students should only receive their grants once they have taken their exams. This is one of the changes to the budget which the Bondevik government will present this coming Friday. (Aftenposten)
7. While 800 foot soldiers will lose their jobs, the boss walks off with NOK 7.4 million in severance pay and bonuses. "Four out of five jobs in Braathens have been saved. I deserve every krone," said Braathens’ chief executive Arne A. Jensen, after what he calls his toughest years. (Dagbladet)
8. Stein Viksveen is to demand an investigation into the National Police Security Service (POT), after the espionage charges against him were dropped last week. Mr Viksveen has told Aftenposten that his main concern is not to win compensation, but that he is looking for other forms of redress. Initiating a debate on the various roles played by the POT from the point of view of safeguarding the legal rights of the private citizen, will go a long way towards providing that redress, he says. (Aftenposten)
9. Internet, e-commerce and having your own website have lost their appeal. Over the past six months the number of small companies on the web has fallen by six percentage points. (Nationen)
10. Petrol prices were cut yesterday. You can now buy 95 octane petrol for just NOK 8.59. Petrol prices have not been this low since February 1999 – and they could fall still further. (Dagsavisen)

Today’s comment from Vårt Land

Opposition to the bombing in Afghanistan is growing. The call for a halt to the bombing has firm support among the Church of Norway’s college of bishops, and 137 Norwegian writers have asked the Government to demand an immediate ceasefire. Criticism is growing in political circles too, as are the doubts about whether the bombing actually serves to fight terrorism. The bishops’ answers are enlightening, given how complicated this issue is. The differences in the bishops’ arguments are not great – even though they come to different conclusions. There is broad agreement that terrorism must be combated. But will bombing Afghanistan lead to an end to terrorism, or will support for the terrorists increase at the same rate as the bombs fall? The bishops’ contrasting answers show that it is not easy to find an alternative to the bombing. But bombing becomes a less and less effective alternative the longer it goes on and the greater the number of impoverished Afghanis who become its victims.