Foreign Minister Jan Petersen visits the Norwegian forces in Iraq

Foreign Minister Jan Petersen visited the Norwegian forces in Basra today to gain an even better insight into the situation in the Norwegian area of responsibility and the conditions under which they are working.

The visit gave Mr Petersen a good opportunity to meet Norwegian soldiers and get an idea of the role they are playing in the reconstruction of Iraq. He was shown the Norwegian forces’ projects for supplying drinking water to villages, building bridges and clearing explosives. Mr Petersen also visited the Norwegian base in Basra.

The Foreign Minister stressed that the Norwegian forces were doing an essential job in an extremely difficult situation, and said that he was impressed by the results they had achieved. He pointed out that there is still a great deal to do in the reconstruction of Iraq and underscored that the contribution being made by the Norwegian forces is important for the civilian population of Iraq.