Siv Jensen, Leader of the Progress Party

Speech delivered to the AEI World Forum 2010 in the session: ”Is the Atlantic Alliance Over?”, Saturday March 6.

 

  Thank you. I`m feeling privileged to speak at this fantastic conference.

I am the opposition leader in a small country far North in Europe with a population half the size of the State of Georgia, but with vast resources and located in a peaceful neighborhood. Norway was one of the founding members of NATO, and we`re residing with our fellow NATO – ally Denmark, two of the neutrals or non-aligned countries in Europe – Sweden and Finland, and Russia. But to make that clear: I can`t see Russia from my house… 

The heading of this session reads: “Is the Atlantic alliance over?”. My initial response is: No, it`s not over. BUT, as Bob Dylan once sang “the times they are a changin`”. Much have changed since the cold war days.

Norway is the only neighbouring country that has never been at war with Russia. We share quite good relations with our great neighbour. Russia is not the Soviet Union. But there are some writings on the wall. The Russians are now building or re-building their military capacities. And from time to time they let us know exactly that, with their planes... Russia has awakened again. With the conflict in Georgia, Russia showed everyone that it didn`t hesitate to react in their backyard. With further expansion of NATO, the tensions with Russia could be strengthened. Many countries depend on Russia for their energy deliverance. Ukraine is one. Moscow doesn`t hesitate to cut off supplies if Kiev isn`t behaving... 

Even if Norway is a young nation, we have a long history, and even if our ancestors often were known to be quite brutal, there is still wisdom to be found in the writings of the Vikings. In the old Norse Njåls Saga it is written: “What affects those that are close to us affects us”. Have that in mind when discussing the relationship between Norway and Russia.

The area of most strategic importance to Norway is the High North. It is estimated that 25 per cent of the remaining petroleum resources in the world remains in this area. In the future the High North will be one of the worlds dominating energy provinces.

Energy security is one of the most important issues we face today. Norway is a large and stable provider of energy, and I want it to stay like this for the future. Although we need to have a focus on the environmental side, it`s also necessary to have a realistic approach. And to speak frankly: Climate fundamentalism isn`t the way to go... 

NATO was well fit for the challenges we faced during the Cold War, but is NATO fit for the challenges that face us now, and the challenges that face us in the future? Last year marked the 60th anniversary of NATO, and there were reasons to celebrate. The United States ‘commitment to the defence of Europe was institutionalized in NATO. NATO secured the peaceful termination of the Cold War. For many Eastern European countries a place at the table in the Alliance was more important than a membership in the European Union. NATO has been a success. After 40 years of abstention France decided to return to full participation in NATO`s integrated military structures. We welcome them back!

We have fought down totalitarianism twice in modern- Europe. We battled Nazism, and won. We battled Communism, and won again. Now, we`re facing the third face of totalitarianism – the face of radical Islamism. Countries of the free world have been hit hard by the nightmares put alive by Islamic extremists. The U.S. has felt the rage and hatred of the new fascists. In Europe, UK and Spain have felt the same. 

Many have said that Afghanistan is the big exam for NATO. If we`re not being successful in Afghanistan, what will then happen with the Alliance? Why is it so important to pass this exam and to win in Afghanistan?

NATO`s Secretary General, Mr. Rasmussen stated: We are in Afghanistan to prevent the country from becoming a hotbed of terrorism once again. We should recall that the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 originated in Afghanistan, and that the inspiration for the attacks in Madrid and Istanbul also came from Afghanistan. 

National caveats are a serious challenge in Afghanistan. The countries without caveats suffer most, like the U.S., the UK, Canada and Denmark. But the troops must be flexible, because the mission is complex. One cannot just let some countries do the “dirty work”.

Many are concerned whether the trans-Atlantic relationship has been slightly eroded during the last years. We`ve witnessed growing anti-American sentiments in Europe in the last decade. For many Barack Obama was seen as the savior or superman, which would do away with all the “evil” the Republicans had brought to the U.S. and to the world.

I was probably the only political party leader in Norway that wished for another outcome of the election. Even the leader of the Conservatives in Norway decided to attend the Democratic Convention, although they`re formally affiliated with the GOP. That said, I think President Obama delivered an important message in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace prize, about the necessity of using force when diplomacy fails. His fans in the Socialist Left Party of Norway should listen to him. 

The idea of a League of Democracies, most prominently put forward by Senator John McCain, is an interesting idea. The League would not be limited to Europeans and Americans, but could include the world`s other great Democracies; such as Japan, Australia, India, Taiwan and Israel. It would have greater legitimacy than the UN Security Council.

If you raise a critical question about the UN in Norway, you`re doomed. I know because I have tried. You can get away with criticism of the EU, the World Bank, or NATO, BUT do not dare to raise any critical questions about the UN. The UN is sacred. You cannot criticize it, you cannot debate it. What has the UN done to deserve this? Is it because of the operations in Bosnia or Rwanda? Or Darfur? And what about the Human Rights Council? It`s like the abusers` club. With members like China, Cuba and Saudi – Arabia, the whole concept becomes absurd. 

Talking about the troubles in the world, I`ll end with the biggest troublemaker of them all. The president of Iran is a clown, but a dangerous clown. As Tzipi Livni, the former foreign minister of Israel asked when we met in Jerusalem: “Does anyone really believe that Iran will cancel their weapons programme and stop their hostile behaviour if the Israel- Palestine conflict is solved?" She didn`t think so. Neither do I. It`s not the quest to liberate the Palestinians that fuels the Iranian hate-machine, it`s the Islamist ideology. Are the Alliance ready to face such an enemy if needed?