EU and Norway's border to Russia.

kgun · #1 (**permalink**) 03-10-2007, 02:12 PM

EU criticizes Norways surveillance of the border to Russia. We use soliders on compulsory military service. EU mean that Norway shall use professional personell to control the border.

And do not underestimate cumpulsory Norwegian soldiers. I have seen professional alcholic officers in Norwegian army that had been fired from sivil jobs :-)

May be that Russian women, prefer ordinary soldiers before drunk offisers, is the real problem?

Isn't that a matter for NATO?

Any opinion?

Should the post be moved to CtabUK's funny story post?

Hiops · #2 (**permalink**) 03-15-2007, 04:27 PM

I don't think there is ant problen here at all, besides the border with Russia is not so important, because there is no threat going from there. And there is too cold there to make any spying. Norway does not have any border that should be guarded.

kgun · #3 (**permalink**) 03-15-2007, 06:16 PM

I live nearly 3000 km's from that border. What I have heard is that the border is much more open now. I have never been closer than 1000 km to that border. Historically, as far as I know, the relationship between Russia and Norway has always been good. I hope it will continue like that. During the cold war, the tension between the superpowers made it worse. Nobody here misses that period.

Our foreign Minster said on Tv yesterday, we have a big neighbour in the north but no enemy.

We have an open border to only two countries, Denmark and Sweden, where we can travel without passport. It has been like that long before Denmark and Sweden joined EU.

I think the real problem with the story is that EU tell us about our policy towards Russia. I think that should be told us by NATO and not EU.

That is how it is to be a small nation.

twoprime · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 10:44 PM

The border between Norway and Russia is very small, although it was used as a jumping off point (along with axis partner Finland) to invade the Soviet Union's northern areas on June 22, 1941.
Of course, Norway was forcibly occupied by Germany before this happened.

twoprime · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2007, 10:46 PM

I should also add that Norway has always been very, very strategic because if you have weather stations there and Svalsbard island you can make fairly accurate weather predictions which is very useful to the world powers.

Clicken · #6 (**permalink**) 03-24-2007, 03:10 AM

Quote:

Should the post be moved to CtabUK's funny story post?

hehe,... or perhaps a political forum?

anyway, what is the difference between the two? I mean NATO is a military alliance of the EU states, oh and the US. so wouldn't the top be the same top of each?