Foreign Ministry reacted immediately when the Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin suddenly appeared on Svalbard, Saturday.
There was a picture on Rogozin personal Twitter account that first made Norwegian authorities note the visit.
After the visit Svalbard traveled Rogozin on to open a Russian research station at the North Pole.
Monday he posted new messages on Twitter, among other photos from North Pole with the text “The Arctic is Russian Mecca” and a link to a news article where the Russian Foreign Ministry claims he broke Norwegian law by visiting Svalbard.
– Not a breach of Norwegian law
Rogozin is among Russians who stand on sanctions list after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in the summer. Thus he is not wanted in Norway, either passing through or visiting.
– This is not a violation of Norwegian law, but we have clearly expressed to the Russian embassy in Oslo that list led people not wanted on Svalbard, said communications manager Frode O. Andersen UD NTB on Saturday.Foreign Ministry called in the Russian ambassador pap.noå carpet to give an explanation. The meeting will take place on Monday afternoon.
– I will try to convince my Norwegian friends and partners that it is not worth it, said ambassador Viatsjeslav AA Pavlovskij NRK when he was going into the meeting. He referred to the strong Norwegian reaction.
Monday said Russian authorities that it was difficult weather conditions that caused the controversial visit, writes Barentsobserver.com.
Rogozin plane had to wait at Svalbard Airport on Because of the weather. It was during this wait that Rogozin decided to visit the Russian settlement in Barentsbrug, according spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Aleksandr Lukashevich.
He also calls the Norwegian reaction to the visit absurd.
– This is marking policy
Jørgen Holten Jorgensen, scientist and Russia expert at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI), notes that Rogozin has recently been appointed as head of the Russian Commission for the development of the Arctic, and that it is therefore natural that he travels there.
Jorgensen believes visit to Svalbard gives no cause for concern for Norway, but still think it is a small point against Norwegian authorities.
– This is marking policy , there is no doubt. But for such a profile person who loves to speak and come with sharp statements so it is not so very surprising.
– A logistic naturally visit
– It is not the first time Russia challenger bit and push the limits of what is possible to do at Svalbard. That one sees how far one can go before Norwegian authorities react is perfectly normal, he said.
– But I do not think the main purpose was to provoke Norway. It will probably more as a side effect.
The visit is logistically naturally explains Jørgensen, as it is from Svalbard flying to the North Pole, in addition to Barentsburg constitute a small but important part of the Russian presence in the Arctic.
– It’s the fact that it comes so high-profile politicians to Svalbard without giving the host country Norway message, which is that special.
– On the other hand it would from a Russian viewpoint be strange to inform about the visit, as Rogozin could have been told that he was unwanted. It is much easier to just go, and possibly take it racket that might come afterwards. Having said that, I believe certain that Rogozin like that the visit creates a bit rash, says Jorgensen.
Come surprising Svalbard
Editor Svalbardposten Eirik Palm says that the visit came as a surprise to the population on Svalbard.
– There was no one who knew about the visit or had waited there until he let out picture on Twitter.
– The Arctic is important for Russia. That way, it is logical that they want to visit Barentsburg. But it is especially sending a deputy prime minister. Especially one with a slightly unorthodox diplomatic history, says Palm.
Despite the fact that the visit has created reactions politically, he believes that the Svalbard population not found the visit especially dramatic.
– In Svalbard close, continuous contact with the Russian settlement. There are two communities that have very much in common and that has a lot of exchange among themselves. For those who stand and regard from longer distance, it may seem more dramatic than for us who live here, he said.
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