Norway said on Wednesday it had expelled a Russian diplomat on suspicion of espionage, with a rebellion signed by the Russian embassy, saying the accusation was baseless.
Norway’s decision follows the recent arrest in Oslo of a Norwegian citizen suspected of handing over illegal information to the diplomat, who the police believe is an intelligence officer.
“He has been involved in actions that are incompatible with his role and status as a diplomat,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Trude Maaseide said of the Russian man.
Norway’s PST security police said on Monday that the Norwegian arrest was made when he met the Russian diplomat in a restaurant, and that the case could harm vital national interests.
The Russian man, who worked in the embassy’s trade unit, had diplomatic immunity and was not arrested, Norway said.
Download the NBC News app for breaking news and politics
But the Russian embassy said it had filed a protest against what it believed was a breach of the diplomat’s immunity.
“The Deputy Trade Representative was arrested without cause by the PST during a meeting with a Norwegian citizen,” it said in a statement. “He was searched and was not allowed to contact the embassy or to call representatives of the consular department.”
There was no immediate response from the Russian government, but Konstantin Kosachev, a former lawmaker, said Moscow would bring in a Norwegian diplomat.
“I have no doubt that Russia in this case, as always, will clearly adhere to the principle of reciprocity,” Kosachev, head of Russia’s parliament’s foreign affairs commission, was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.
DNV GL said late Tuesday on risk management and quality assurance that the Norwegian suspect worked at his oil and gas unit, specializing in 3D printing and materials technology.
