The Russian Ambassador to Norway, Sergey Andreev, has been interviewed in connection with the upcoming visit of President Dmitri Medvedev to Oslo next week. In Andreev’s opinion Norwegians misunderstand Russia.
– Norwegians misunderstand our political system, the rights and freedom of Russian citizens, our foreign politics and how we treat our neighbouring states, says Andreev to Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet.
Andreev says that in general Norwegians are positive towards Russians. However, there are several stereotypes and clichés which dominate Norwegian conceptions of Russia. It is especially the media coverage and the predominant scepticism towards all Russian actions which is a problem. According to Andreev is not Russia stuck in the past. It is most countries of the west which are stuck in the past.
– Most Russian decisions, when it comes to international politics, are evaluated in the west in a suspicious, cold war inflicted manner. We are accused of being old fashioned in all our actions, in the meaning that what’s good for Russia is bad for other countries, says Ambassador Andreev.
Andreev believes Norwegians would understand Russia better if they tried to understand the country with a basis in the situation Russia is currently in, instead of evaluating the country from a conception of that all which is normal is Norwegian.
Andreev’s view is supported by head of Russian studies at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, Indra Øverland. He also points out media as the main producer of prejudice attitudes towards Russia.
– Media coverage, using terms like Russia is engaging a cold war, are common in western Medias. The progressive Arctic strategy which Russia engaged on last year, was given a totally twisted angel in western Medias, says Øverland.
Øverland says that Norwegian coverage of Chinese politics is the opposite of the coverage of Russia. And this is still the case even though China is a communistic one party regime, with an extensive use of death penalty and a very strict media policy. China is also the world’s most populated nation and produces a lot of the products which Norwegians buy.
– So why do Russia get so much more critical attention compared to China, is Øverland’s final question.
