Tunisia election an important step forward

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre says the election of a national constituent assembly in Tunisia is an important step forward for the country.

“I am pleased to see that the first free election after the Arab Spring has been carried out peacefully and that there was a high voter turnout. This has a powerful symbolic effect, and sends an important signal to the whole region,” Mr Støre said.

The national constituent assembly is to appoint an interim government and draft a new constitution, thereby staking out the path for the new Tunisia.

“I was particularly pleased to see that women participated so actively in the election,” the Norwegian Foreign Minister commented.

(Press release)

Wednesday, 26 October 2011 06:39

Written by Rolleiv Solholm

Critical to recruitment of Icelanders to Norwegian Army

There have negative reactions from politicians in Iceland to the news that Icelandic young men have been recruited to serve in the Norwegian Army on overseas missions, NRK reports. ..Read more...

Mediators' Conference opens in Oslo

The Oslo Forum 09 opens on Tuesday. The Forum seeks to provide diverse, frank and discreet discussions between top mediators and other key actors from around the world on major issues affecting peace and conflict today...Read more...

Oil & Gas: Government announces cut in production

The Norwegian Government will cut the production of oil by 100,000 - 200,000 barrels a day, in an effort to stabilize the price of crude on the world market. This was announced by the Oil and Energy Minister Thursday. ..Read more...

Norwegian concern for Yassir Arafat

Foreign Minister Jan Petersen warns Israel against taking any action against Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat. Petersen made the statement after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced that he no longer felt bound by his earlier promise not to harm Arafat...Read more...

Norway to consider sending observer force to the Sudan

Norway may be asked to supply troops to an international observer force in the Sudan, says Thorbjoern Jagland, head of the Foreign Relations Committee. There is now hope for peace after 20 years of civil war in the African nation...Read more...

Mordechai Vanunu asks Norway for help

The Israeli nuclear engineer Mordehchai Vanunu who was released on Wednesday after 18 years jail, has asked Norway for help to leave Israel on humanitarian grounds. The leader of the Foreign Relations Committe, Thorbjoern Jagland, says his request should be considered....Read more...

Foreign Minister Petersen to visit Yassir Arafat

Palestinian President Yassir Arafat will meet with Norway's Foreign Minister Jan Petersen when he travels to the Middle East on Wednesday. This has been confirmed by a spokesman for President Arafat...Read more...

EU and Turkey: - As important as the fall of the Berlin Wall

EU's decision to begin negotiations with Turkey is as improtant as the fall of the Berlin Wall. This is the opinion of Norway's former foreign minister, Thorbjoern Jagland....Read more...