Oslo considers the expulsion of a Norwegian diplomat from Russia, which came as a reciprocal response to the expulsion of a Russian diplomat, unsubstantiated due to lack of any violations on his part, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th August, 2020) Oslo considers the expulsion of a Norwegian diplomat from Russia, which came as a reciprocal response to the expulsion of a Russian diplomat, unsubstantiated due to lack of any violations on his part, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik on Friday.
Earlier in the day, the Russian Foreign Ministry revoked the diplomatic accreditation of a senior employee of the Norwegian embassy in Moscow, who will now have to leave the country within three days, in response to the expulsion of a Russian embassy employee from Oslo last week. A knowledgeable source told Sputnik that the expelled Norwegian diplomat was Embassy Counselor Jan Flaete.
"This is completely groundless. The diplomat did not break any rules and acted in complete compliance with diplomatic norms," the ministry said.
Moreover, the ministry refused to respond on whether the diplomat's expulsion would affect Russia-Norway relations.
"We do not have any additional comment on this issue," the ministry said.
The Norwegian security forces have said that a 50-years-old man was detained in mid-August on suspicion of disclosing state secrets and allegedly meeting with a Russian spy. If convicted, the man could face up to 15 years in prison.
