Dmitry Rogozin and Spitsbergen: Igniting the Arctic

... in World War One on special terms. Citizens of the states that signed the 1920 Treaty signee have the right to freely enter the archipelago for any commercial, scientific and other nonmilitary activities. As a result, at times the USSR Consulate in Spitsbergen has been manned by persons non grata in NATO or other U.S.-allied countries, because the Norwegians were powerless under law to turn them down. Hence, the legal aspect of this case seems quite clear. But this is exactly why questions arise about the Norwegian Foreign Ministry’s motives ...