Official clarifies bin Laden remarks

Published: Aug. 28, 2008 at 6:00 PM
 Osama bin Laden

OSLO, Norway, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The deputy foreign minister of Norway said his country has no desire to enter into a dialogue with Osama bin Laden or the terror group he heads.

Deputy Foreign Minister Raymond Johansen said he has "no illusions" that bin Laden would enter into negotiating talks, Aftenposten reported Thursday.

A day after Johansen told the Oslo newspaper Dagsavisen that "you don't make peace with your friends but

with your enemies," including the terror leader, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release that Norway has no desire to enter into talks with bin Laden.

"There are several criteria that would need to be in place before we involve ourselves in dialogue with partners to a conflict," Johansen said in a statement on Thursday.

"A central criterion is that the partners themselves want such a dialogue. I pinpointed to Dagsavisen that I didn't think Osama bin Laden and ... al-Qaida want any dialogue. It's therefore wrong to say that Norway has a desire for dialogue with bin Laden," he added.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Changing doctor pay best bet to curb costs (25 min)
RadioShack seeking new headquarters (27 min)
Scientists find link between cancer genes (40 min)
Study: U.S. climate still changing
UPI NewsTrack Business
Jobless claims drop in week
Gorilla blood pressure device created
fark
Unknown substance found on NJ Transit train. Probably cleanser
90% of students at City University of New York can't do basic algebra. So, you know...just like...
"Main Street merchants want crack at market" in Santa Monica, says poorly worded headline. Presumably...
14-year-old boy attacked by cougar, police say. His girlfriend isn't amused
"Spiritualist" police trainer who called for the British police to include mediums and psychics...
First Paragraph: Police say a Twin Lake man broke into a woman's mobile home last week, pulled out...