Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis' Meeting with Frank Bakke-Jensen, Norway Minister Of Defense

FRANK BAKKE-JENSEN, NORWAY MINISTER OF DEFENSE:  Welcome, let me start by saying it is an honor to welcome Defense Secretary Mattis to Oslo.  The United States is our closest and most important ally and we have a strong and broad defense cooperation.  Our soldiers operate together in conflict areas around the world and they increasingly work together in Norway and the North Atlantic.

We are very pleased with the rotation exercising of the U.S. Marine Corps in Norway.  This strengthens Norway, Norwegian Troops and it strengthens NATO.  The security environment is more serious.  One consequence is that we must strength security in the North Atlantic again.  That is important for both European and North American security.  I therefore look forward to working with the U.S. on developing the new command structure in NATO, in particular the new Atlantic Command in Norfolk.

Norway is committed to the 2 percent goal in NATO and our new long-term plan for 2021 till 2024 we'll have this commitment as a key premise.  This doesn't mean that we are starting in 2021.  Norway has increased our defense spending by 24 percent since in real terms since 2013.  We will continue substantial increases in defense spending also in the coming years.  

We are investing in strategic capabilities such as the new F-35 combat aircraft, submarines, and P-8 maritime Petro aircraft.  Norway is NATO in the north and I believe we are working - we are doing - I believe the work we are doing in the North in intelligence, on surveillance, on deterrence, and dialogue is not only important to Norway it is also important to the U.S. and to NATO.

Today we are exploring how to develop our defense corporation even further.  I look forward to continuing our bilateral talks.  I will now pass my word to my colleague and good friend, James Mattis.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, JAMES N. MATTIS:  Thank you, thank you Mr. Minister, thank you Frank, it's a pleasure, privilege and an honor for me to be here in Norway.  I made a commitment to you and your predecessor that I would visit Norway and I regret it has taken me so long to come here to pay my respects to a nation so well known as a strong and reliable ally in every since of the word.  

For more than a century Norway and the United States have steadily built this strong bond and it's bolstered by strong shared values and our desire, our mutual desire for Trans-Atlantic unity as demonstrated by the importance our two nations place on democracy, on individual liberties, and the rule of law.  In America, we do not take for granted the strong bond between our peoples so I'm here to pay my respect but also explore areas of further collaboration and cooperation.

Norway has earned a reputation for political courage.  Eight years after the invasion of 1940 and only several years after the liberation from occupation, Norway chose freedom becoming a founding member of NATO, a military alliance committed to preserving democratic freedoms and human rights while sustaining peace and Norway's recommitment to meet the 2 percent Wales pledge at NATO's highly successful summit in Brussels this week lends credence to the reality that NATO is stronger today than it was yesterday, stronger than it was a month ago, stronger today than it was a year ago.

I appreciate Norway's flexibility and generosity in hosting up to 700 marines on a rotational basis, and the plan to increase the number of troops that we now are getting rigorous cold weather training for and over the next few years as well as exercise trident juncture this fall which will demonstrate that the U.S. and all of NATO stand with Norway as we seek to maintain peace and stability in Europe.  Also appreciate the increased support Minister Frank of NATO's support in Afghanistan, certainly in Iraq and your commitment to defeat ISIS coalition.  And there I have to note your force’s dedication, their skill, and their ethical conduct which has strengthened the entire coalition.  

So, Mr. Minister, thank you for hosting me here today.  I look forward to discussing steps to strengthen our military to military relationships, part of our people to people relationship which has always been strong between Norway and the United States as we enhance interoperability.  Again, we do not take this relationship for granted and our goal must be to always sustain the high degree of trust that exists between our people.  So thank you very much.

MIN. BAKKE-JENSEN:  Thank you.