Norway pulls out of NATO exercise

OSLO, Norway, Sept. 12 (UPI) -- A financial crunch has led Norway's military to announce Wednesday it is withdrawing from two scheduled NATO military exercises this year.

Norse Armed Forces chief Sverre Diesen said the military is trying to pare costs by $130 million this year but major operations won't be affected, the Aftenposten newspaper reported from Oslo.

"Our large contributions, such as in Afghanistan, will continue," he said.

The decision affects NATO's "Operation Active Endeavor" along with "Cold Response," which isn't technically a NATO exercise but one in which many NATO members participate, the report said.

The military experienced a similar financial squeeze in 2004, the newspaper said.

The announcement came a week before the scheduled NATO conference convenes in Oslo.