Norway Concerned Over Human Rights In Philippines

Norway is closely monitoring the human rights situation in the Philippines and looks with great concern at the latest developments of disputed arrests and threats to freedom of expression, a statement from the Norwegian Foreign Ministry in Oslo quoting Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Store, said.
The Scandinavian country is acting as third party facilitator to peace talks between the Philippines and communist rebels.
The statement from the Foreign Minister was written in a letter replying to an inquiry by Arbeiderpartiet’s (Labor Party) MP, Anette Trettebergstuen about what the Norwegian foreign ministry was doing to demonstrate Oslo‘s opposition to alleged human rights abuses in the Philippines despite the lifting of the state of national emergency.
Jonas Gahr Store also said that he was worried how the circumstances surrounding the state of national emergency would affect the resumption of the formal peace negotiations.
The government/rebel talks are brokered by Norway, but have been suspended since August 2004.