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Lavrov calls for high-level dialogue between Russian, Norwegian defense ministries

Russia's top diplomat stressed that Moscow and Oslo would like to establish regular security consultations

TROMSO /Norway/, October 25. /TASS/. Moscow suggests Russian and Norwegian defense ministries launch high-level dialogue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday after talks with his Norwegian counterpart, Anniken Huitfeldt.

"We have relations with Norway, including in the sphere of security. And we would like to establish high-level relations between the defense ministries, along with regular security consultations," he said when asked whether Moscow and Oslo plan to invigorate bilateral contacts between the defense ministries amid the severance of Russia-NATO relations.

On October 6, NATO announced the reduction of the Russian mission from 20 to 10 people and revoked the accreditation of eight diplomats. Two more open vacancies were eliminated. The Alliance said the Russian diplomats are to leave Brussels before the end of this month.

On October 18, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia was suspending its permanent mission to NATO from November 1. Apart from that, Russia is suspending the NATO Information Office in Moscow and the NATO Military Liaison Mission Moscow starting on November 1.