Norway Will Expand Her Airfields

Chronicle (Levin), 22 February 1949, Page 5

Norway Will Expand Her Airfields

Received Monday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 21. Norway 's reply to tlie Russian offer of a non-aggression pact, will be a polite rejectioii and the Government will secure the country 's f'ormal adherence to the North Atlantie Pact as soon as possible, says the Daily Telegraph 's Oslo eorrespondent. Norway 's eontribution to the alliance as at present planned, would be the expansion of main harbours and airfields. This would enable her in- case of armed aggression, to reeeive the full est possible military aid from the United States and other member States. It is emphasised this would not be tantamount to granting bases to foreigu States in peacetime. It would be purely a Norwegian undertaking earried out by Norwegian personnel under the terms of a regional security group within the framework of United Nations' Charter. Such a development would primarily refer to the airfields at Sola outside Stavanger, Gardemoen north of Oslo and Trondheim, and also the harbours of Kristiansand, Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik. The three reasons why the Norwegian Government wants to see the country 's adherenee to the Atlantie Pact, are: Firstly, they want a hand in shaping the pact's final draft; secondly, they hope thus to ensure the highest possible priority on United States arm.i deliveries; thirdly, they wish to avoid the suggestion that Russia's recent diplomatic offensive has shaken their resolve. The eorrespondent says it is understood that the draft of the pact as it stands at present, provides, lirstly, for the establishment of a permanent military commission upon which Norway will be represehtiTd; secondlv, the expansion of Norwegian airfields and harbours; thirdly, the promise of United States aid to any member State that might be the object of aggression. Norway, in reply sto Russia, will pirobably reiterate peaceful intentions and a determination not to 'grant bases to foreign troops e^cept in the case of a direct immediate obvious threat o± aggression. Since it is clear from the Soviet Note that there is no danger oi aggression from Russia, Norway will maintain that there appears no need for such' a pact as Moscow suggests. Norwegian sources received quietly reports of recent Soviet troop movements along the Finnish border. They regarded them in the absenee of further information, as having more a basis in propaganda than truth.