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Oslo (AFP) Dec 2, 2010 Norway said Thursday China would only have itself to blame for a deterioration in bilateral relations following this year's attribution of the Nobel Peace Prize to a jailed Chinese dissent. Norway's comments came after new declarations from Beijing that awarding the prize to Liu Xiaobo would make it difficult to maintain "friendly relations" between the two countries. "China will have to bear the responsibility of eventual negative consequences that the peace prize could have for bilateral relations," foreign ministry spokesman Kjetil Elsebutangen told AFP. "Norway believes there are no reasons for the (Nobel) committee's decision to have consequences for the relationship" between China and Norway, he added. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters Thursday: "It is difficult to maintain friendly relations with Norway as in the past," because "the Norwegian government expressed open support (for the prize)." Oslo said Tuesday that Beijing had indefinitely postponed negotiations with Norway aimed at concluding a free trade accord, in what appeared to be the latest repercussion over the Nobel peace prize. According to an informal schedule, a new round of trade talks between the two countries had been set to take place around the new year. But the Chinese have "indicated that they needed more time for internal consultations before a new date can be set for this meeting," Norwegian trade and industry ministry spokesman Oeyvind Arum told AFP. Liu, a former professor and author, was sentenced in December 2009 to 11 years in prison on subversion charges after co-authoring "Charter 08," a manifesto that spread quickly on the Internet calling for political reform and greater rights in China. Beijing has branded him a criminal. The December 10 Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is set to take place without Liu, still in jail, and without his close family members who will unlikely be able to leave China. Attendance this year has taken on a particular significance as China warned countries that support for the laureate would face consequences. Six countries -- China, Cuba, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Russia -- are so far known to have declined the invitation. Some, like Russia, have indicated they were not sending anyone because of scheduling issues rather than political motivation.
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China says hard to keep 'friendly' Norway ties after NobelBeijing (AFP) Dec 2, 2010 China said Thursday it was difficult to maintain "friendly relations" with Norway, following the Oslo-based Nobel committee's decision to award this year's Peace Prize to a Chinese dissident. "The Norwegian government expressed open support (for the prize). It is difficult to maintain friendly relations with Norway as in the past," foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters. In ... read more |
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