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DATE=3/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228107
TITLE=RUSSIA / NORWAY (L)
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  RUSSIA'S RELATIONS WITH NORWAY HAVE BEEN SETBACK BY WHAT 
IS BEING CALLED THE MOST SERIOUS SPY CASE BETWEEN THE TWO 
NEIGHBORS SINCE THE END OF THE COLD WAR.  V-O-A MOSCOW 
CORRESPONDENT PETER HEINLEIN REPORTS RUSSIA IS THREATENING TO 
RETALIATE AFTER FIVE OF ITS DIPLOMATS WERE ORDERED TO LEAVE OSLO.
TEXT:  RUSSIA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY FRIDAY EXPRESSED BEWILDERMENT AT
THE LATEST ESPIONAGE CASE.  A SPOKESMAN SAID RUSSIA RESERVES THE 
RIGHT TO RESPOND IN KIND TO NORWAY'S DECISION TO EXPEL TWO 
DIPLOMATS AND BAR THREE OTHERS FROM RE-ENTERING THE COUNTRY.
BUT DETAILS PUBLISHED AN AN OSLO NEWSPAPER INDICATE THE DIPLOMATS
WERE CAUGHT IN THE ACT (OF SPYING) DURING A FOUR-YEAR 
COUNTERINTELLIGENCE (STING) OPERATION.
NORWAY'S LARGEST CIRCULATION NEWSPAPER, VERDENS GANG, TOLD THE 
STORY OF A MID-LEVEL BUREAUCRAT WHO ACTED AS A DOUBLE AGENT, 
ACCEPTING CASH FROM MOSCOW IN RETURN FOR FAKE SECRETS TO HELP 
EXPOSE THE RUSSIAN ESPIONAGE OPERATION.
THE BUREAUCRAT, 47-YEAR OLD SVEIN LAMARK, WAS QUOTED AS SAYING 
THE RUSSIANS WERE INTERESTED IN INFORMATION ABOUT RUSSIA-NORWAY 
RELATIONS, OIL AND GAS ISSUES, AND NATO.  NORWAY IS THE ONLY NATO
COUNTRY BORDERING RUSSIA.
A SPOKESWOMAN FOR RUSSIA'S INTELLIGENCE SERVICE ATTEMPTED TO  
DOWNPLAY THE CASE FRIDAY.  SPOKESWOMAN TATYANA SAMOLIS EXPRESSED 
THE HOPE DAMAGE TO RELATIONS BETWEEN MOSCOW AND OSLO COULD BE 
KEPT TO A MINIMUM.
         ///  SAMOLIS ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///
SHE SAID, "ESPIONAGE IS A USUAL, ROUTINE THING," ADDING "THERE IS
NO  NEED TO DRAMATIZE IT."  
ANOTHER RUSSIAN INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL CALLED THE CASE "A 
THROWBACK TO THE COLD WAR."
MS. SAMOLIS SAID THE SPY AFFAIR HAS ERUPTED AT AN UNFORTUNATE 
MOMENT, JUST ONE WEEK BEFORE A PLANNED VISIT TO MOSCOW BY 
NORWAY'S PRIME MINISTER, KJELL MAGNE BONDEVIK.  THAT VISIT HAS 
BEEN PUT OFF INDEFINITELY. 
         ///  SAMOLIS ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER  ///
MS. SAMOLIS SAID IF POLITICIANS BEGIN TO PUBLICIZE SPY CASES, IT 
USUALLY MEANS THEY HAVE SOME NEED TO DO SO.  SHE SAID MOST OF THE
TIME, INCIDENTS INVOLVING ESPIONAGE ARE HANDLED QUIETLY BETWEEN 
INTELLIGENCE SERVICES.
NORWEGIAN RADIO FRIDAY REPORTED AUTHORITIES HAD HOPED TO KEEP THE
CASE QUIET UNTIL AFTER PRIME MINISTER BONDEVIK'S VISIT.  BUT THEY
DECIDED TO GO PUBLIC AFTER LEARNING VERDENS GANG WAS PUBLISHING 
THE STORY IN ITS FRIDAY EDITION.  (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH
13-Mar-98 12:35 PM EST (1735 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.