Returning to my blog

After 25 years of discussion, my wife Eva and I decided to kill the recession with a complete overhaul of our kitchen! This is Eva, with a small army of carpenters, electricians, plumbers etc just out of the door, and the bills coming in! Still a lot of unfinished details! But it is almost like a new house!

We really changed everything: New floors (oak), walls (with oriental wallpaper), ceiling, lights (only partly in order), heating (in the floor (but still not working), new dishwasher, new fridge and freezer, 3 new stoves, one with steam.

Next step will be to find a new, posh kitchen table, to go with the stylish new kitchen.

Hooligan nation

Serbia will recall their ambassadors from Norway and all other civilised countries that have recognized the Kosovo declaration of independence. It was to be expected, considering the
importance of the emotional distress of the Serbian nation. But by mobilizing hooligans to burn foreign embassies in the capital Belgrade, was way beyond the acceptable behaviour of a civilized nation. It is the act of a hooligan nation, striving to preserve a bad reputation.

All nations are obliged by international law to protect and secure foreign embassies and diplomatic personnell. According to press reports, the Serbian security forces did not try to stop the mob from entering and vandalizing the USA and Kroatian embassies in Belgrade. A natural conclusion is that the mob had support from parts of the Serbian political establishment.

Incredibly, the Serbian government called for the mass demonstrations in Belgrade this week. They offered free transportation from all over the country to the capital, demonstrating a modus operandi the communist regimes used frequently before the Berlin wall came down with a crash in 1989. Government sponsored mass demonstrations have been out of fashion for a long time. But not in Serbia.

Serbia gambled and lost their right to rule over Kosovo a long time ago. But the Serbians have been so blinded by their hysterical nationalism, that they are unable to see the obvious realities. Well, after all many Serbians still consider the war criminal Slobodan Milosevic a national hero, confirming the pariah image earned during the Balkan wars.

The rhetoric of prime minister Vojislav Kostunica about Kosovo belonging to the Serbian people is strikingly similar to the rhetoric used by Milosevic, when he mobilized the violent nationalism that led to the bloody tragedy of Balkans during the 1990-ies, taking a whole region back to the Middle Ages.

The people of Serbia started on a narrow and dangerous road, that might lead them back to our time and Europe, when Slobodan Milosevic and his mafia regime lost the elections in 1999. Norway and some other countries did what they could at the time, to prevent the regime from subduing the opposition.

The declaration of independence of Kosovo, is the logical, and tragic consequence of the terror campaign and the civil war Serbia started in 1988. When Slobodan Milosevic mobilized the Serbian army, to drive the majority of the population out of Kosovo in 1999, the world just would not accept it. After the mass murder of muslim boys and men in Srebrenica in 1995, the Serbians had burned all their bridges.

For eight years, the UN have ruled Kosovo, trying to negotiate a peaceful deal with Serbia. When all other options failed, the only option left was independence.

Norway and the other countries recognizing Kosovo as an independent state, stresses that Kosovo is a unique case. Do not believe a word of it. Several regions will claim to be in a siminar situation. The Serbs in the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia, have their hearts in Serbia, not in muslim Sarajevo. The union of Serbs, Muslims and Kroats in Bosnia is a forced marriage. Now, Srpska want to leave Bosnia, to join Serbia. Balkan certainly have a long way to go, before they will have peace, reconciliation and understanding.

Serbians have to get rid of the hooligan label they have burned on their nation. But when will they start the long way back to a place among civilized nations?

Easter ski holiday in Hallingdal, Norway

What a great Easter holiday we had in my home village Aal in Hallingdal, Norway! We stayed at a rented flat in a modest hotel near the downhill slope Svarteberg. We, being: My wife Eva (60), our children Kjetil (33) and Kjersti (30) and her child Erik (2). The weather was not too bad. Strong winds, too strong to sit down, but not too strong to run around.

Erik was very proud of his brand new equipment: Downhill skis, boots, helmet and goggles. He had to go down between my skis the first days. But in the end he just held on to my hand from time to time. I had to catch him before he came to the bottom of the hill though, because he still has not learned to stop! That's his next lesson!

But each time we stopped, he just cried: More, more!

Blairs falling/rising star

Nobodys poodle was the front page title of Newsweek last week. On the cover, the British PM Tony Blair (53), looked sternly into your eyes. The front page title paraphrased Blairs image as the obedient poodle of US president George Bush. But Blair is nobodys poodle, according to Newsweek.

The countdown have started. The date of Blairs resignation as PM is unknown, may be even not yet decided. But he will leave No 10 before the summer. Gordon Brown (56), Blairs rival, nemesis and partner will probably take over.

It is the unlogical, erratic, human nature of politics. British Labours greatest leader of all times has been painted into a corner, mainly by his own doing, having to annonce his resignation before the summer.

Tony Blair was elected MP for the first time in 1983. He became party leader for Labour in 1994, upon the sudden death of John Smith. In 1997, spearheaded by Blair, Labour made a spectacular, landslide victory, after 18 years of concervative rule. With Tony Blair as party leader, Labour have been winning again and again, in 2001 and 2005.

The golden days of the British Empire are long gone, thank God. But during the Blair years, Britain have again been defining the global agenda; propagating the wisdom of a global climate policy and a joint effort to support social and economic development in all parts of the world. Britain and Blair really are global heroes. With solid support in the British parliament Blair did a great job for Africa. He was the first world leader who really introduced the global climate and the global warming on the political agenda.

The next British parliament election will probably be in 2009 or 2010. It is easy to make a forcast; Labour will lose with Gordon Brown leading the party. A renewed concervative party lead by the much younger David Cameron (41) will probably be the next British winner.

Labour might lose next time, even if Tony Blair remained party leader and his partys PM candidate. He have been losing support among voters since Britain joined the US invasion in Iraq. In opinion polls, Labour is down on the same level in the opinion polls as the ruling Norwegian Labour party, around 28 percent. On election day, a 28 percent party will not be able to form a majority government. Not in Norway. Certainly not in Britain.

The British participation in the Iraq war is the real reason for the loss of magic touch of Tony Blair, the real reason for his approaching resignation, leaving the PM job to his older rival and partner in government, Gordon Brown (56).

Just after the invasion of Iraq, Britain had 46.000 troops in the country. They have been marginally less of a disaster in Iraq than the Americans. The number of officers and soldiers is down to 7.100. In a few days, 1.600 of them will come home. When the next election approaches, no British troops will remain in Iraq. The main reason for Tony Blairs loss of popularity, will be gone long before the next elections. With Blair, chances are Labour might win again. Without him, they will probably lose.

Blairs greatest legacy will be the transformation of British Labour from a worn down, oldfashioned, working class party, controlled by a traumatized an unpopular trade union movement, into a modern, generally respected and value oriented party for modern people.

In 1994, as a newly elected party leader, Blair launched the slogan New Labour. The old guard of the party railed him for having deserted social democratic values. Looking back at the Blair years as PM, the criticism was completely wrong. Blair have been leading his party and his country with a definite social democratic agenda, mobilizing for a global climate policy, and a joint global effort for Africa.

The dwindling respect for the PM Blair in the British electorate, is counterbalanced by growing respect for the statesman Blair in the world outside of Britain. Blair might still have his greatest successes in politics waiting for him. Both the EU and UN might make good use of him.

Tony Blair may appreciate the wisdom of the ex-PM Odvar Nordli (1976-81) of Norway: "The life as an ex-PM is by far much more agreeable than life as a PM!"

Erik on his first ski excursion

Erik on his first ski excursion, originally uploaded by otbergo.

Erik, son of Kjersti and Antonio, is on his very first ski trip. It i Easter 2005. We came to Tinn, Telemark, Norway, to the mountain cabin of Ulla and Per. Erik, in a borrowed sledge greatly enjoyed being taken out on a ski trip! Erik was born in July 2004. So he is just 8 months old in this photo.

Knust av studiegruppe

The Iran Study Group Report, omtalt som Baker-rapporten etter USAs tidligere utenriksminister James A. Baker III, er forbløffende lesning. Den 76 år gamle republikanske statsmannen har sammen med demokraten Lee H Hamilton ledet et utredningsarbeid, som kler fullstendig av president Bush og hans udugelige administrasjon.

Presidenten blir ikke kritisert direkte i rapporten. Men Baker-rapportens kunnskapsbaserte realisme, viser hvor dilletantisk og amatørmessig verdens supermakt USA har vært ledet de siste seks årene. Kontrasten mellom Bakers profesjonalitet og Bush-administrasjonens katastrofale vanstyre er så sterk at den ikke lar seg bortforklare.

I 79 konkrete anbefalinger, beskriver Baker-rapporten en helt annerledes Irak-politikk. Bush-administrasjonen har maksimalisert muligheten for å mislykkes både i Irak. Baker-rapporten beskriver hvordan USA skal opptre så konstruktivt, koordinert og inkluderende at gode krefter i Irak, Midtøsten, Europa og FN blir med på å skape fred og sikkerhet i Irak. Det er bare ett problem, USA ledes av den samme udugelige presidenten i to år til.

I debatten om Baker-rapporten har det blitt pekt på de militære og diplomatiske anbefalingene som bryter sterkest med Bush-administrasjonens politikk: Behovet for dialog med de landene Bush-administrasjonen ikke liker, Iran og Syria, behovet for å skape fred mellom palestinere og israelere, behovet for forsoning mellom folkegruppene i Irak.

Den viktigste erkjennelsen i Baker-rapporten er at det ikke kan skapes fred i Irak med den nåværende politikken, og at det ikke finnes noen vei til fred med utelukkende militære midler. Det er en selvfølge for alle informerte europeere. Det sier noe om den manglende kompetansen i Bush-administrasjonen når det er behov for en studiegruppe av ti eldre statsmenn for å få sagt noe så innlysende riktig.

Baker-rapporten peker på at det ikke kan bli fred i Irak, uten nasjonal forsoning og maktdeling mellom de mange stridende grupperingene. De irakiske oljeinntektene, potensielt like store som de norske, må bli felleseie for hele befolkningen, ikke bare berike en av folkegruppene i landet. Staten, særlig hæren, politiet og domstolene må ikke som nå opptre sekterisk, men behandle alle irakiske borgere som likeverdige. Mye av volden i Irak, er eskalerende væpnet kamp mellom ulike deler av den irakiske staten.

Baker-rapportens 142 siders utredning om hva USA må gjøre for å lykkes i Irak, preges av en utenrikspolitisk profesjonalitet som har vært fraværende i den nåværende Bush-administrasjonen. James A. Baker var utenriksminister under forrige president George Bush (1989-93), den nåværende presidentens far. Nå har pappas utenriksminister forsøkt å berge den udugelige sønnen ut av det håpløse uføret han har ledet USA inn i. Men bare en ny og kompetent president kan iverksette de 79 anbefalingene fra verdens mektigste studiegruppe.

Plum harvest checked out!

Erik is checking out the harvest of plums on an early Sunday morning. 

St Basils church by the Red Square in Moscow, last night at 11 pm. There is a storm warning for tomorrow, so this is probably my only possibility for a night shot of the signature Moscow skyline.  

Erik (2) and Olav (59)

Erik and I celebrated the constitution day of Norway by playing football in the garden and eating cake, having a good time!
Olav 

Mamma mia, London October 2005

Eva, Ulla, Kjersti and Mari on stage with the stars of the Abba musical Mamma Mia in London, October 2005. 

A summer paradise in Drammen, Norway

Wit a cup of coffee on the front porch of our cabin in the forest south of Drammen, Norway, last summer. Just finished the veranda floor, feeling very proud. 

Young beach bum on Gran Canaria

Erik, 18 months tomorrow, is trying out his mini surfboard at the beach, just down from Donana and Green Beach in Patalavaca in Gran Canaria, one of seven Spanish islands off the west coast of Africa.

We had a great holiday, returning home to Bergen on Friday, back to job and kindergarden tomorrow! 

Erik in the snow

Pretty little snow, and a very little boy (18 months tomorrow), with proud parents and grandparents (behind and in front of the camera): Erik, Antonio, Kjersti and Eva. Today, Sunday 5th March in Bergen, Norway. 

12 drawings of the prophet

The Danish liberal newspaper Jyllands-Posten commissioned 40 artists to make a drawing of the prophet Mohammed. Twelve of them rose to the challenge and their drawings were published in the newspaper in September 2005. The newspaper probably intended to challenge the tolerance of the muslim communities in Denmark, and the conventional wisdom that such drawings would create an outcry.

My newspaper did not publish the drawings of the prophet. I have supported Jyllands-Posten for printing the drawings, but criticised the extremist christian newspaper in Oslo for copying Jyllands-Posten.

But how is it possible to blame the Danish and Norwegian government and burn down the embassies in Damascus and Beirut in order to protest against twelve drawings in an independent newspaper? If you are a muslim, and feel insulted by the twelve drawings, what impression do you think burning of Danish and Norwegian flags creates of muslims in the Scandinavian public opinion? And if you demand do be respected for your religious feelings, would it not be fair to demand the same respect to work both ways?

The Norwegian and Danish governments, public opinion and media are very sympathetic to the just cause of the Palestinian people, and have been supporting their struggle in many ways for many years. How bizarre it is to see wild demonstrations in Gaza agains the best friends of the Palestinian people! A shot in your own foot, if you ask me.

Kreml, Moskva

What a signature! A marvellous logo for the Russian capital! 

Christmas shopping by the Kremlin

The shopping center by the central square
in Kreml, Moscow, had nice shops. But the price tags did not match the wages of the ordinary Russians. When the shopping center opened, the Moscovites jokingly said that the figures on the price tag was a phone number, not the price! 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Erik (1), his
mom Kjersti, his uncle Kjetil and his
grandparents Olav Bergo and Eva
Dagen Eek, Bergen, Norway to family
and friends everywhere!

Olav

My wife Eva throwing a coin over her shoulder into Fontana di Trevi in Roma, after a late dinner at a ENPA board meeting. May 2003. 

Tango in Hallingdal

This place used to be a tiny farm called Tango,
plural modalis for Tangene in the Halling dialect.
The farm was flooded each spring, when the snow melting in the mountains increased the level of the river. The flooding stopped when the river was regulated for hydro electric power production just after the war, in the 1950-ies.

In the photo, my father Kaare, my wife Eva and the nearest farmer, Steinar Breie.

The last farmer on Tango was Mikkel. Steinar remember him wagely, from his childhood. My wife is a decendant from the Tango farmers. 

Kvivik, Faroe islands

This is Kvivik outside of Torshavn, on Faroe islands. It is probably one of the first viking settlements on the islands. Lovly place in nice weather. Excavated viking settlement down by the seaside.