MOSCOW, May 31. /TASS/. Chairman of the Federation Council's Committee for International Affairs Konstantin Kosachev thinks that Russia and Norway can overcome differences in their strategies on international political issues through dialogue, which will help achieve a more active and substantive bilateral cooperation.
"I am disappointed to say that over the last two years while we haven’t seen each other, not many important events took place in our bilateral relations. The majority of directions for our hypothetical cooperation are in a frozen or sluggish state. This is due to the differences in our countries’ approaches to several current issues regarding international politics," Kosachev said during a meeting with Anniken Huitfeldt, Chair of the Stortinget’s [Norwegian parliament] Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense.
"However, I am sure that on many issues, these differences only arise due to a lack of understanding of each other’s real objectives and goals, the aims that we set in our foreign policy in the general context of international relations," Kosachev noted, adding that Russian lawmakers support inter-parliamentary dialogue and contacts on a more regular basis.
He pointed out that Russia and Norway have many questions to ask each other. "Frankly, we have a lot of questions concerning Norway’s actions in certain international situations. In a broader context, concerning the actions of the NATO bloc, with Norway as its active member. We have many questions aimed at one of Norway’s closest partners on the international scene - the United States," the senator emphasized.
Nevertheless, Kosachev noted with satisfaction that the halt in communications in certain spheres did not affect border cooperation, the development of fisheries resources in Northern seas, and ecological and humanitarian cooperation.
Chair of the Stortinget’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense Anniken Huitfeldt stressed that an open dialogue is especially important in a situation when both countries’ positions differ in several spheres. "As you’ve pointed out, recently, we have not agreed on several important points. However, it is precisely under these circumstances that we have to maintain pragmatic cooperation and open political dialogue between members of parliament," she stated.