Russia may remove guards at border with Norway: report

Relations with Norway are now so good that the Russian border guards in the north soon may be withdrawn, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported on Thursday, quoting Russian Defense Minister Sergej Ivanov during his visit to Norway.

"There are now no defense policy problems between our two countries, and it is important to strengthen relations between Norway and Russia," Sergej Ivanov said at a press conference in Oslo.

"We have very good contacts regarding our common border. We should soon do away with border guards on land," the Russian defense minister said.

However, Schengen member Norway has no plans for reducing the guard service at the Border with Russia, said Norwegian Defense Minister Anne-Grete Stroem-Erichsen.

"We have a very good cooperation with the Russians regarding the border guards, and good military cooperation in the North. However, Norway also has a Schengen border in the North, and will maintain its guard of the border as before," Stroem-Erichsen said to NRK.

Source: Xinhua