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SKEPTIC: Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide spoke with her German colleague Heiko Maas at the NATO Foreign Ministers meeting. Germany has also expressed opposition to British nuclear plans. Maas says there are already too many nuclear weapons in the world. Photo: YVES HERMAN / Reuters
Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide (H) says Norway has raised concerns about the UK’s plan to increase its arsenal of nuclear weapons.
On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, she is in Brussels, at the first meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in more than a year.
Last week, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that his government would increase its nuclear arsenal from the current 180 nuclear warheads to 260.
Now, for the first time, the Norwegian Foreign Minister expresses the government’s reaction to this:
– I see that this is a response to the arms driving behavior of Russia and China. But at the same time, we are concerned that they will give nuclear weapons a more important place in their deterrence, the foreign minister tells VG.
– We believe that you are not lucky, because NATO is working hard for better arms control and for agreements that can permanently reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world, he adds.
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I met the ambassador
Eriksen Søreide says the Foreign Ministry official at his home in Oslo met with the British ambassador to Norway on Monday and expressed this concern.
– This was the first possible opportunity to talk to the British about this after they presented their “Integrated Review”, says Eriksen Søreide, who had British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab visit Oslo a few days before the government London will present his plan.
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Deterrence
Since 1969, Britain has at all times had a nuclear-armed submarine at sea on “deterrence trips,” according to the British document.
The British nuclear regime is an integral part of NATO’s nuclear capabilities, alongside NATO’s other two nuclear powers, the United States and France. Only the British prime minister can order the dismissal. Ensures political control, according to the British government.
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Stoltenberg: Russia lowers the threshold
VG has asked NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg if NATO is united behind Britain’s decision to increase its nuclear weapons arsenal.
– The challenge is for both Russia and China to modernize their nuclear weapons systems, with more advanced and far-reaching weapons. Russia has introduced new medium-range weapons with dual capabilities, both conventional and nuclear, the NATO chief told VG.
– Russia has lowered the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, he adds.
Stoltenberg says he has been on the phone with Boris Johnson, who confirmed to the NATO chief that Russia’s rearmament is the backdrop to the new British plan.
– The answer is that we continue to work for arms control. The New Start agreement has now been extended. That extension should not be the end but the beginning of further disarmament, Stoltenberg told VG at his press conference Tuesday afternoon.
VISIT FROM US: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg made an additional television appearance to emphasize that US-NATO relations have returned back to normal after four years with Donald Trump. Photo: YVES HERMAN / Reuters
America is rebuilding
The NATO summit in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday is the first for new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“I am here to rebuild relations with NATO and our allies,” Blinken said upon arriving at NATO headquarters.
– It’s good coverage to say that your message was to revitalize the relationship between the United States and NATO. It was very well received and we need it after four years of unpredictability, says Eriksen Søreide, referring to the years with Donald Trump.
– And at the same time, there was a clear expectation among the allies that the United States actually involves the allies in the decisions that will be made about Afghanistan. I find him very receptive. she adds.
