MOSCOW: To join EU fishing sanctions against Russia, Norway used a reason that borders on paranoia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman M...
MOSCOW: To join EU fishing sanctions against Russia, Norway used a reason that borders on paranoia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.
"As for the reason used by the Norwegian authorities for their latest anti-Russian measures, it can only be described as paranoia: Russian fishing companies, according to those who explained this decision in Norway, are allegedly involved in intelligence activities sponsored by the Russian government and targeting critical infrastructure in the maritime areas of Norway and its NATO allies," she said.
According to Zakharova, Norway has not provided any evidence or facts to support these Russophobic scenarios.
"Following this decision, a Norwegian government spokesperson made a statement, which expressed a desire to continue long-standing cooperation with Russia in the field of fisheries, in a move that only confirmed that there is no trace left of the pragmatism that Norway once displayed in its relations with Russia," the diplomat said.
Zakharova said the Russian Foreign Ministry on July 29 summoned the Norwegian charge d'affaires and a protest was issued.
"The Russian side initiated an extraordinary session of the bilateral fisheries commission in August. Overall, we are forced to state that mutually beneficial cooperation with Norway in the field of fisheries has been dealt a serious blow. We will not leave such unfriendly actions by Oslo unanswered," the diplomat said.
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