Norway’s new Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre discussed climate issues and peace building when he met with Condoleezza Rice in Washington, D.C., November 1, 2005.
3/27/2006 :: 
Photo by Arild Strømmen/Royal Norwegian Embassy
We spent a lot of time discussing issues related to energy, climate and environment,” Støre said after his 45 minute long meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State. The meeting with Rice came after only 3 weeks on the job for Støre as Norway’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“We also talked about international security and the fight against terrorism,” Støre said. “Rice expressed that it is important for the international community to participate in rebuilding Iraq, and I agreed. We have a responsibility for assisting development. Norway will contribute to this effort, but not in the form of military personnel on the ground,” he said.
Another main topic at the meeting was peace building in former conflict areas such as Sudan and Sri Lanka, where Norway is actively involved in reconciliation efforts. Støre also talked about the composition and views of the newly elected Norwegian government. Then he invited Rice to visit Norway "I told her we could meet in another part of the country than Oslo, which clearly interested her," Støre said.
Støre started his visit in Washington by opening the third Transatlantic research Conference on “Climate, Oceans and Policies” at the Carnegie Institution. He characterized the research cooperation between the United States and Norway as alive and flourishing. Støre also stressed the need for more research on climate issues in order to meet the common challenges with closer political cooperation.
The Foreign Minister then met with Senator Richard Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and discussed the negotiations in the World Trade Organization with United States Trade Representative Rob Portman.
Støre’s trip to the US also included a visit to the United Nations in New York, where he met with Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Norway has always been a strong proponent of the UN, and Støre told Annan that the new government's goal is to do even more to strengthen the work of the UN.
Kristoffer Kolltveit / Arild Strømmen / Norwegian Embassy