US May Start Doubling Marine Presence In Norway By Fall - Norwegian Defense Ministry

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) The United States could start implementing plans to more than double its Marines presence in Norway and open a new military base as early as this fall, the Norwegian Defense Ministry said in a press release on Wednesday.

"US and Norwegian authorities recently agreed to extend and increase the rotational training and exercises in Norway for units from the USMC [United States Marine Corps]. As a result, the arrangement will continue beyond 2018 and may include up to 700 US marines. In addition to todays activity at Vaernes, a second location at Setermoen will be added," the release said. "We may see additional US marines at Setermoen already during the fall of this year."

The government of Norway in June announced plans to extend the US Marine deployment for five years, boost the number of troops and deploy soldiers to a new location in Setermoen. Currently, around 300 US Marines are stationed in Norway at the Vaernes military base.

That initial announcement drew a swift response from Moscow, with the Russian Embassy in Norway in June calling the move "clearly hostile" and likely to prompt an arms race that destabilizes Europe.

�This is an important part of the implementation of the Governments policy on increased allied training and exercises in Norway, as well as being consistent with the US-Norway bilateral agreement on prepositioning and reinforcement of Norway approved by Parliament in 2006,� the Norwegian Defense Ministry's press release said.

Also in June, Russian Foreign Ministrys spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticized Norway's decision to allow the United States to deploy more troops on its territory, saying such moves undermine confidence between the two countries.