NORWAY

General information: The Kingdom of Norway is a state on the west and northwest of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway has a total area of 324,000 square kilometres. Its territory also includes the island of Jan Mayen (380 square kilometres) in the northeastern Atlantic and the Bouvet Island (59 square kilometres) in the South Atlantic. According to the terms of the 1920 Treaty of Paris, Norway exercises sovereignty over the archipelago of Spitzbergen (Svalbard) in the Arctic Ocean (61,500 square kilometres). Moreover, the country lays claim to the Antarctic Peter I Island (156 square kilometres) and a large section of Antarctica (Queen Maud Land, about 1/7 of the total area of the continent), however, these claims were put “on hold” by the international Antarctica Treaty.

Population: According to Statistics Norway, as of October, 2016, the country’s population was estimated at 5,252,000 (the last census was held on November 19, 2011). Apart from Norwegians (83 percent), the country has the following national minorities: the Sami people, which are Norway’s indigenous people (40,000); the Kvens (10,000-15,000); Tatere (5,000-10,000); Jews (1,000-2,000); Forest Finns (up to 1,000); and the Romani people (500-1,000). A large part of the country’s population (about 698,600, or 13 percent) are immigrants (from Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, Somali, Germany, Iraq, Denmark, Philippines and other countries), and their children, who were born in Norway (149,700, or 2.8 percent). There are about 20,000 Russians (including their children, who were born in Norway) currently living in the country.

Capital: Oslo (658,000). The list of other large cities includes Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger. About 80 percent of the population lives in cities.

Official language: Norwegian (a Germanic language).

Norway’s official church is the Evangelical-Lutheran Church. The separation of church and state in Norway took place in 2012 (according to the Constitution, it has the status of a “people’s” church). About 72 percent of the population attends this church, while 6.4 percent professes other forms of Christianity, and 2.8 percent of Norwegians are Muslim.

National holiday: The Constitution Day (adopted in 1814) is celebrated on May 17.

Currency: Norwegian krone ($1 equals about 8.3 kroner, €1 equals about 8.8 kroner).

Political system: Constitutional monarchy. The current head of the state is King Harald V (born in 1937, succeeded to the throne in 1991). The current heir to the throne is Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway (born 1973). Executive power is exercised by the Council of State (which includes the King and the government).

The highest legislative body is the Storting (the Parliament). It consists of 169 members, which are elected every four years based on the proportional representation by direct, fair and secret universal suffrage. The Storting cannot be dissolved prior to the scheduled time. The current president of the Storting is Olemic Thommessen. According to the protocol, the president of Storting is the second-highest ranking official in the state after the King.

The country is divided into 19 counties (fylke), which include a total of 426 urban and rural municipalities. In the counties, central authority is exercised by governors, who are appointed by the King. Representative and executive power is exercised by directly-elected county councils and their own executive councils.

Political parties: The Labour Party (LP) is a social democratic party and is the largest in the country. Founded in 1887, it has 55 seats in the Storting. As a rule, it works closely with trade unions and is strongly supported by its voters. The party is currently led by Jonas Gahr Store and is currently in opposition.

The Hoyre (conservative) party is the largest right-wing party in the country. Founded in 1884, it formed the government after the national elections of September 9, 2013, and now has 48 seats in the Storting. The party is led by Erna Solberg.

The Progress Party (PP) was founded in 1973. It is characterised by its criticism of the Norwegian socio-economic model and tough anti-immigrant rhetoric. The party has 29 seats in the Storting. The party is led by Siv Jensen. The Progress Party entered the government as a result of the elections of 2013.

The Center Party (CP) was founded in 1920. It has 10 seats in the Storting. The current party leader is Trygve Slagsvold Vedum. The party is strongly supported by Norwegian farmers.

The Christian Democratic Party (CDP) was founded in 1933. It has 10 seats in the Storting. The current leader is Knut Arild Hareide. As a result of the elections of 2013, the party supported the change of government, but refused to enter it.

The Venstre (liberal) party was founded in 1884. It has 9 seats in the Storting. The current party leader is Trine Skei Grande. As a result of the elections of 2013, the party supported the change of government, but refused to enter it.

The Socialist Left Party (SLP) was founded in 1976, and has 7 seats in the Storting. The current party leader is Audun Bjorlo Lysbakken.

The environment party, The Greens, or the Green Party, was founded in 1988, and has one seat in the Storting. The party is led by two spokespersons: Hilde Opoku and Rasmis Hansson. As a result of the elections of 2013, the party entered the government for the first time.

The latest Norwegian parliamentary elections were held this year on September 11. The election was won by the centre-right coalition lead by the Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg. 89 out of 169 seats in Storting (conservatives, 25.1 percent) were obtained by the Hoyre party, as well as its coalition partner Progress Party (15.3 percent) and the parties that support them in the parliament – the Christian Democratic Party (4.2 percent) and the Venstre party (4.3 percent). Even though each of these parties lost several of their mandates, their combined results allowed them to gain a parliamentary majority. The opposition Labour Party suffered its biggest defeat for the past 16 years (27.4 percent – 3.4 less than in the previous elections in 2013). Once the negotiations between the parties are over, the new government will be formed.

On September 14, 2015, Norway held local government elections. As a result, the Labour Party significantly strengthened its position, and, along with its coalition partners (which vary in different municipalities), “took” the largest cities of the country, such as Oslo, Bergen and Tromso, from the right.

The migration crisis, which peaked in Norway during the fourth quarter of 2015, resulted in increased anti-immigrant sentiment within the Norwegian community. In the wake of this sentiment, the ruling Hoyre-Progress centre-right coalition parties passed a series of laws through the parliament, tightening the country’s immigration policies. These measures increased the coalition’s popularity after its defeat at the municipal elections.

History: The first King of Norway assumed the throne in 872. The era between the 9^th and the 11^th centuries in Norway is known as the Viking Age. At the beginning of the 12^th century, Christianity was established in the country. By the end of the century, a centralised monarchy was in place in Norway. In the middle of the 14^th century, the Black Death pandemic seriously undermined the economic and socio-politic life of the country, resulting in a gradual loss of its independence. After the formation of the Denmark-Sweden-Norway union (14^th-16^th centuries), Norway came under Denmark’s control. In 1814, after the defeat suffered by Napoleonic France and its allies, to whom Norway belonged, a Constituent Assembly was convened. The Assembly adopted the country’s constitution, but, in accordance with a decision made by the anti-Napoleonic coalition, Norway had to enter into union with Sweden.

Norway regained its political independence by dissolving the union in 1905. The country chose the monarchial form of the government by means of a national referendum. The government offered the Norwegian throne to Prince Carl of Denmark, the Danish prince of the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg royal house, who later took the name Haakon VII.

During World War I and the beginning of World War II, Norway maintained a policy of neutrality. On April 9, 1940, the country was invaded by German forces, and, after a short period of resistance, it was occupied. The King and the government were evacuated to Great Britain. In October 1944, the Red Army liberated the western part of Norway’s northern county of Finnmark as well as the Soviet Arctic during the Petsamo-Kirkenes Military Offensive. In May 1945, the forces of Norway’s allies, who had landed in the country, accepted the surrender of Germany’s forces throughout the entire country.

Since 1945, Norway has been a member of the UN and in 1949 it joined the Council of Europe. In 1952, the country joined the Nordic Council, in 1960, EFTA and OECD, in 1994, the European Economic Area, in 2001, the Schengen Area, and in 2012, the Asia-Europe Meeting. Norway is a permanent participant in the Arctic Council, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the Northern Dimension.

Foreign policy: The basis of Norway’s foreign policy is its alliance with the US, NATO membership, close cooperation with the European Union, special relations with neighbouring countries in the European North and also, a pragmatic cooperation with Russia in the North. Oslo declares its commitment to strengthening multilateral approaches in international politics, the United Nations’ central coordinating role and the rule of international law.

Within the framework of NATO (former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has been the organisation’s Secretary General since 2014), Norway supports the idea of establishing the European missile defence system (in January, 2017, Oslo publicly announced its plans to consider the possible options of joining in). In 2015, together with Germany and the Netherlands, Norway participated in the development of NATO very high readiness joint task force (the country is planning to participate once again in the 2019 task force exercises). The country regularly employs F-16 fighters to patrol the NATO airspace of Iceland and the Baltic states. In accordance with the decision made during NATO summit in Warsaw in 2017, Norway is to send about 200 servicemen to the multinational “enhanced” forward presence battalion in Lithuania (commanded by Germany). Throughout 2017, Norway will lead the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1). In January, 2017, about 300 American Marines arrived in Norway’s Vaernes Garrison in the city of Trondheim to participate in a 6-month trial programme for rotating Marine Corps elements. In March, 2017, Norway’s northern county Finnmark, located by the Russian borders, hosted NATO’s Joint Viking exercises, the first since the end of the Cold War. In October-November, 2018, NATO will hold Trident Juncture, large-scale exercises, involving about 25,000 servicemen. Together with Great Britain, France and Iceland, Norway is promoting the renewal of the alliance’s naval strategies, and focusing on increasing its presence in the Northern seas. The country also supports the American International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification initiative (IPNDV, the second plenary meeting was held in November, 2015, in Oslo).

At the 71^st session of the UN General Assembly, Norway submitted its draft resolution on the role of verification in advancing nuclear disarmament, which was adopted by an overwhelming majority (177 in favour, with seven countries abstaining, including Russia). The country also voted against the draft resolution, Taking Forward Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations, which provided for holding a UN conference to negotiate a legally-binding document to prohibit nuclear weapons, in 2017.

Norway is not a member of the European Union, but has been a party to the European Economic Area Agreement between the EU and the European Free Trade Association since 1994.

Within the framework of the UN, the country is paying special attention to achieving the 2016-2030 Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on the issues of education, searching for ways to solve the migration crisis, combating violent extremism, combating global climate change, protecting the environment, solving the issue of antibiotic resistance and the sustainable management of marine resources, protecting the rights of women and the LGBT community, strengthening the UN’s peacekeeping potential and reforming the organisation.

Norway is famous for being the mediator in the settlement of international conflicts. It has carried out peacekeeping missions in the Middle East, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Haiti, Somalia, Sudan, Mali and a number of other countries. Oslo’s most recent peacekeeping mission was closing the agreement between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in November, 2016. Norwegians provide considerable international support for development goals, contributing 1 percent of the country’s GDP each year.

Norway was represented in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in 2001-2014 (in 2015, the country sent its troops to Afghanistan to assist NATO’s new Resolute Support Mission). The country also actively participated in NATO’s military operation in Libya in 2016 (six F-16 fighters were sent), and, together with Denmark, participated in the integrated naval mission of the Northern Europe countries to transport Syrian chemical weapons. Norway also joined the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, sending 120 Norwegian servicemen to Iraq in 2014 (who are currently training Peshmerga soldiers) and 60 servicemen to Jordan for training, consulting and providing operational support to the “local Syrian groups” (Sunni Arabs).

Norwegians place the blame for the escalation of violence in Syria mostly on the Syrian government. The Norwegian authorities perceived the operation of the Russian Aero-Cosmic Forces negatively, describing it as “destabilising and contributing to the escalation and prolongation of the Syrian conflict”. While not playing a significant role in the negotiation process, Oslo is making active efforts in the humanitarian field. Between 2016 and 2019, Norway will allocate about $1.2 billion to help the refugees and displaced persons in Syria and its neighbouring countries.

As regards Iran, the Norwegian authorities follow Western policy. Oslo attributes the International Atomic Energy Agency the primary role in monitoring Iran’s compliance with its obligations (about $1.6 million spent on the verification of Iran’s Nuclear Programme),

Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, Oslo has been severely critisising the actions of the Russian Federation, characterising the reunification of Crimea with Russia as “annexation and a violation of international law”, and blaming Russia for “supporting separatists in southeastern Ukraine”. Following the example of Brussels, Norway joined in the package of anti-Russian sanctions.

Economy: Norway is an industrialised country, and is one of the leading countries in terms of the highest GDP per capita ($71,500), electricity generation, oil and gas production and export, production of aluminium, ferroalloys, mineral fertilisers, fish production and fish farming, and merchant fleet tonnage.

In 2016, Norway’s GDP growth rate was estimated at 1.0 percent (with 1.6 percent in 2015). The country’s economy is based on the oil and gas industry (about 40 percent of exports and 15 percent of the GDP). In 2016, the country produced the total of 83 million tons of oil. The oil and gas industry is dominated by Statoil, with the government being the company’s major stockholder. Most of the proceeds coming from oil and gas production are credited to the Government Pension Fund Global (former Petroleum Fund of Norway). As of February 9, 2017, the capitalisation of the fund stood at about $900 billion.

In 2016, the value of exports in Norway was estimated at about $88.9 billion, which is 14.2 percent lower than in 2015, with the value of imports estimated at $72.3 billion (5.3 percent decrease). Norway’s major trade partners are the EU countries (78.2 percent of Norway’s exports, 62.4 percent of imports).

Norway is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of standards of living. High wages are combined with high taxes and prices, but also with relatively low inflation (3.6 percent) and unemployment rates (about 4.7 percent).

Armed forces: The total number of personnel in the country’s armed forces is about 20,000. The Norwegian armed forces include the Norwegian Army (10,500), the Royal Norwegian Air Force (2,600), the Royal Norwegian Navy (4,000), several headquarters of various levels and central subordination units (2,200), as well as Heimevernet, the Norwegian Home Guard, an irregular mobilisation force (ranging from 500 during peace to 45,000 when mobilised).

The King is the commander-in-chief. As a rule, the government and the Storting are responsible for military development issues. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense has control over the formulation and implementation of military policy. The general management of the country’s troops is carried out by the armed forces’ commander-in-chief through the Norwegian Defence Security Department (Oslo), while the operational management of the troops – through the operational commando centre (located at Reitan outside Bodo, North Norway).

The principles and the main directions of the armed forces’ development are determined by the 2017-2022 development plan (adopted by the Storting on November 15, 2016). According to the plan, the strategic priorities of Norway’s armed forces development are: purchasing 52 F-35 multirole fighters, submarines (there will be four of them instead of the current six), and purchasing new basic patrol aircraft to replace the current out-of-date P-3С/N Orion. The country is also planning to increase its army presence in its northernmost county of Finnmark.

Education, science, culture: the Norwegian system of compulsory school education provides for 13 years of education (10 years for the primary and secondary school and three years for high school). Almost all Norwegian schools are public, and are have free tuition. Higher education institutions comprise 8 universities and 13 higher schools (the number of state universities was reduced from 33 to 21 due to the structural reform of higher education that started in 2015), and 20 more accredited private universities. Education in state universities is tuition-free. All students, including the foreign ones, can apply for a loan to the State Educational Loan Fund. Norway became one of the first countries to adopt the Bologna Declaration on the European Higher Education Area in 1999.

Norway has achieved significant scientific developments in the oil and gas industry, renewable energy, aquaculture, cancer treatment and microelectronics. Every year, the country spends about 1.7 percent of GDP on science and research. At the same time, the government is financing more than a half of all research in the country (about 1 percent of GDP), the rest is financed by businesses. Scientific research is organised on a sectoral basis, according to which each ministry is responsible for research related to its area of responsibility. The Research Council of Norway oversees the coordination and financing of the main programmes. This council also advises the government on scientific policy. The list of major Norwegian research institutes include: the Norwegian Defense Research Establishment; the Institute of Marine Research; the Norwegian Institute of Technology; the Norwegian Polar Institute; independent research organisation SINTEF and many others. In January, 2015, the 2015-2024 governmental plan for research and higher education was published. This plan identified Norway’s priorities in the scientific and educational sphere. The country’s international scientific cooperation is oriented towards participating in the EU’s Horizon 2020 framework programme (Norwegian scientists account for about 1.8 percent of the programme’s budget). The country has also developed a national strategy for Norway’s participation in the Horizon 2020 programme (the goal is to reach at least 2 percent of the programme’s budget).

Norway is famous for its outstanding cultural achievements. Works by its writers - Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906), the winner of 1920 Nobel Prize for Literature Knut Hamsum (1859-1952) and the winner of 1928 Nobel Prize for Literature Sigrid Undset (1882-1949) - are known all over the world. Norwegian composer Edward Grieg (1843-1907) made an invaluable contribution to classical music, while Edvard Munch’s (1863-1944) paintings Scream and Madonna are among the most popular works of art of the 20^th century. One of Oslo’s main landmarks is the park of sculptures made by Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943). On the Bygdoy Peninsula, which is unique from the standpoint of history and cultural heritage,  there are a number of museums dedicated to Norwegian sailors, explorers and pioneers – the Viking Ship Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Fram Museum and the Norwegian Maritime Museum.

Media: Norway publishes about 230 newspapers with the total circulation of 2.4 million. The list of the most popular newspapers includes Aftenposten (total circulation – 212,000), Verdens Gang (112,000), and Dagbladet (71,000). Since 1990, there has been a steady decline in the popularity of the print media due to the development of electronic media (online editions of the same Aftenposten, Verdens Gang and Dagbladet newspapers have respectively 0.8 million, 2 million and 1.2 million Norwegian readers).

Norway’s largest news agency is Norsk Telegram Bureau, the NTB. In 1933, the state television and radio company Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK) was founded. Today NRK is the country’s largest media organisation.

Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, most of the Norwegian media has taken a frankly anti-Russian position, publishing materials with no objective assessment of the role played by the West and Russia in events in Ukraine and Syria. The leftist newspaper Klassekampen and North Norwegian newspapers (most of all – Nordlys, with the total circulation of about 19,000) are notable for their more constructive and balanced approach to the matter.

Russia-Norway relations

Russia and Norway have maintained trade and cultural relations since the 9^th century. The two countries have never been at war with each other.

In 1905, Russia became the first country to recognise Norway as an independent state and establish diplomatic relations with it. On December 16, 1991, Norway was the first country to recognise Russia as the successor state of the USSR.

Since the beginning of the Ukrainian crisis, Norway has been consistently adhering to the anti-Russian politics of Washington and Brussels, and joining in the imposition of sanctions against Russia. In 2015, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg refused to participate in the celebration of May 9^th. In August 2015, Norway issued an interim order on the deportation of Russian citizens included in the sanctions list from the Spitzbergen (Svalbard). Since August, 2016, the country’s prohibition of Russian citizens who are on the sanctions list from entering the archipelago has become permanent. Anti-Russian rhetoric has continued. In every statement that concerns Russia, the Norwegian authorities keep alleging “Moscow’s violating international law” and commenting on the “Crimea annexation”.

In connection with the Oslo’s position on the limitation of the political dialogue with Russia, only a few visits and contacts on the ministerial level were held in 2016. In June, Norwegian Minister of Fisheries Per Sandberg took part in the 21^st North Atlantic Fisheries Ministers’ Conference in St Petersburg. In September, on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria, Alexander Novak met with Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tord Lien. In November, Sergei Donskoi held meetings with Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry Monica Maeland, Minister of Climate and Environment Vidar Helgesen and Minister of Petroleum and Energy Tord Lien. In June, 2016, a delegation of the Federation Council, led by Konstantin Kosachev, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, paid a working visit to Norway.

Military cooperation is stalled. In accordance with the agreement with European Free Trade Association partners, Norway suspended negotiations on the creation of the free trade zone between Russia and the EFTA.

In 2016, bilateral trade was estimated at $1.4 billion (a 16.9 percent decrease compared to 2015), including Russian exports – $1.14 billion (down 17.9 percent), and Norwegian imports – $0.26 billion. In 2016, the volume of Norway’s accumulated direct investments in the Russian economy was estimated at $157 million, while the volume of Russian investment in the Norwegian economy was estimated at $500 million.

On April 20, 2017, a session of the Norwegian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission was held in Moscow, chaired by Sergei Donskoi and Monica Maeland, (the 16^th session of the Intergovernmental Commission was held in Oslo in 2013).

In May, 2012, Rosneft and Statoil signed an Agreement on cooperation that provided for the joint development of oil and gas fields located on the Russian shelf in the Barents and Okhotsk seas, and also the development of the Norwegian continental shelf. In May, 2013, the companies signed an agreement within the framework of developing the North-Komsomolskoye field in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area. In June, 2013, they signed yet another agreement, completing several milestones towards the development of fields located on the Russian shelf in the Barents Sea (Perseyevsky) and in the Sea of Okhotsk (Lisyansky, Kashevarovsky and Magadan 1). Agreement was also reached on the main principles of the joint pilot development of Domanic deposits at 12 Rosneft license blocks in the Samara region. In September, 2012, the office of Lukoil Overseas North Shelf (Rosneft’s affiliate company) opened in Oslo. In May, 2013, the office of RN Nordic (Rosneft’s affiliate company) was also opened. In June, 2012, as a result of the 22^nd licensing round held in Norway, Lukoil and Rosneft received licenses for the development of fields located on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. In May 2016, as a result of the 23^rd licensing round, Lukoil and DEA Norge, which belongs to the LetterOne group of companies owned by Russian businessman Mikhail Fridman, received a license for the development of fields located in the Barents Sea. In May, 2014, on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Rosneft and the Norwegian drilling company North Atlantic Drilling (the affiliate company of the Norwegian Seadrill) signed an Agreement on investing and cooperating to develop Rosneft’s offshore and onshore projects until at least 2022. However, as a result of Norway’s joining in the EU’s anti-Russian sectoral sanctions, the deal was postponed. The collaborative work of Rosneft and Statoil on the Perseyevsky license block in the Barents Sea was postponed as well.

Nonetheless, Rosneft and Statoil continue to cooperate on projects that are not subject to sanctions. For example, in the summer of 2016, the companies drilled two prospecting and appraisal wells in Magadan-1 and Lisyansky fields in the Sea of Okhotsk (no hydrocarbon reserves were discovered). In the first quarter of 2016, the two firms successfully carried out a rest production in North-Komsomolskoye field, which the Norwegian company believes to be one of its five largest and most promising development projects. This year, Rosneft and Statoil are planning to conduct prospecting and exploration operations in the Samara Region.

The two countries are maintaining bilateral cooperation in other important areas, such as the management of joint fish stocks, nuclear and radiation safety, scientific research, and the cooperation in the North, including cross-border and interregional contacts, and search and rescue in the Arctic.

The countries actively cooperate in fisheries as well. Their partnership is coordinated by the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fisheries Commission, which deals with issues of shared fish stocks management and control of fisheries in the Barents and the Norwegian Sea. In October, 2016, the Commission held its 46^th meeting in Moss.

Cooperation in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety is being developed as well. With Norway’s assistance in the Andreev Bay, the countries are currently completing the creation of infrastructure for the safe handling of spent nuclear fuel. On June 28, 2017, the relevant bilateral Commission held its 20^th, anniversary, meeting in Kirkenes. An important milestone in cooperation between the two countries was the process of transferring spent nuclear fuel from the Andreev Bay, which began with a celebratory ceremony on June 27, 2017.

Through the Joint Russian-Norwegian Commission on Environmental Protection, the countries are implementing joint environmental projects within the framework of the 2016-2018 Work Programme. Russia and Norway are collaborating closely in monitoring environmental pollution in the border territories and managing the transboundary nature reserves. The latest Commission’s meeting was held in Oslo on May 30, 2017.

Russian-Norwegian interregional and cross-border cooperation is currently being developed as well and includes an exchange visits between the administration of the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions and their colleagues from the north of Norway, the renewal of the legal framework, and holding twinning events. In 2016, the two countries held a number of joint business and cultural forums, such as the Barents Spektakel in Kirkenes (February), the Pomor Festival in Vardo (July), the 6^th Russian-Norwegian Days of Cross-Border Cooperation in Nikel and Kirkenes (October) and the Murmansk Business Week (November). The working group on interregional and cross-border cooperation is functioning effectively as well. The coordination of the 2017-2020 plan for creating favourable conditions for intensifying cooperation in the border area is being finalised.

The countries are also maintaining contacts between the coastguard, border, customs and search and rescue services in the North. In October, 2016, a meeting of the Russian-Norwegian Border Commission took place in Oslo, while in December, the countries held consultations on implementing the 1990 bilateral intergovernmental agreement on preventing incidents at sea outside the territorial waters.

Cooperation in science, culture and education is being developed. It is regulated by the 1994 intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in culture, education and scientific research, the 2010 Agreement on cooperation in education and the 2009 Action plan on cooperation in culture in the Far North. The countries are currently working on another intergovernmental agreement on scientific and technical cooperation.

In terms of scientific cooperation, special attention is paid to the issue of Spitzbergen (Svalbard). There are 12 Russian organisations currently conducting Russia-Norway joint research on the territory of the archipelago. The establishment of the Russian Scientific Centre on Spitzbergen in 2016 has provided new opportunities for the countries’ cooperation.

Since 1970, Russia and Norway have been negotiating on the delimitation of the maritime areas and the continental shelf. In July, 2007, the countries signed an agreement on maritime delimitation in the Varangerfjord area. In September, 2010, another treaty on maritime delimitation and cooperation in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean was signed (and entered into force on July 7, 2011). In November, 2010, the countries signed an intergovernmental agreement on simplifying the entry procedure for mutual visits of residents of the border areas of the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Norway (in January, 2016, the entire Norwegian settlement of Neiden was included in the scope of the agreement).

Russians in Norway: The total number of Russians living in Norway (mostly in Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Tromso and Kirkenes) is 20,000, which does not exceed 0.38 percent of the population. The organisation of compatriots includes only a little more than 2,000, which makes about 11 percent of the diaspora. In March, 2007, the Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots in Norway was established. The council includes representatives of compatriots’ organisations and the Russian Orthodox Church. Since April, 2014, a quarterly magazine called the Rights of Compatriots in Northern Europe (with a circulation of 4,000) has been published in Bergen. The Country Conference of Russian Compatriots is held annually in Oslo (the latest, 11^th conference was held on June 3, 2017).

The most sensitive issue for Russian compatriots in Norway is the issue of Norwegian authorities’ depriving children of parental care due to alleged “improper treatment and violence” among other reasons (in 2016, 24 such cases were registered by the Embassy and the Consulate General in Kirkenes).

There are five Russian Orthodox Church parishes in Norway: in Oslo (St Olga); in Stavanger (St Irina); Kirkenes (St Tryphon); Bergen (Holy Trinity) and Trondheim (St Anna). There also are four priests from the Moscow Patriarchate. The Russian Orthodox Church’s St Olga parish in Oslo publishes a quarterly Orthodox magazine called Russkaya Lepta (with a circulation of 1,000 copies).