Freed Norwegian Spy Frode Berg To Go Home As Soon As Possible - Prime Minister

MURMANSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th November, 2019) Convicted Norwegian spy Frode Berg will come home after being released into Lithuania from Russia as soon as possible, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said Friday.

Berg was freed from a jail in Russia, where he was sentenced to 14 years for spying, and handed over to the Norwegian Embassy in Vilnius in a spy swap that also involved two Lithuanians and two Russians.

"Frode Berg will come to Norway as soon as it will practically be possible," Solberg said, adding she had briefly spoken with him over the phone to welcome him back to Norway.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide said his arrest in 2017 had not had a negative effect on the Nordic nation's relationship with Russia.

"We do not think that this case had a negative impact on the relationship between Norway and Russia. This should be emphasized," she told reporters at a press conference.

Soereide said exchanges between the two neighbors had only intensified. She met four times with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov lately. She also said that Norway had been working on Berg's release since his arrest.