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Norway concerned about violence in Xinjiang |
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 Norway is concerned about the situation in Xinjiang province in China. The Norwegian authorities have expressed their concern to the Chinese authorities, deploring the violence and heavy loss of life. (Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs)
Norway has also aligned itself with an EU declaration about unrest in Xinjiang, and calls on all parties to refrain from further violence. This is a conflict that cannot be resolved by violent means. Dialogue is essential, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs states. “We have called on the Chinese authorities to provide full transparency around what is going on and ensure that foreign journalists and diplomats are given unimpeded access and an opportunity to report on the unrest, with a view to clarifying the facts of the situation,” says State Secretary Elisabeth Walaas of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Norway is engaged in a longstanding human rights dialogue with China, in which the rights of minorities, including those of the Uighur people, and freedom of religion and expression are a key focus. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is following the situation closely. (NRK/Press release) Rolleiv Solholm |
