Jon Lilletun, vice president (deputy speaker) of Norwegian (Storting) Parliament, has been elected as chairman of Norwegian Parliamentary Sub Committee on Kashmir after the previous body fulfilled its term following fresh elections last year, says a report reaching here from Oslo.
Jon Lilletun, a seasoned politician and parliamentarian, is the chairman of the Norway's Upper House but he holds the office of vice president of the Stortigent (comprising both the houses). He is also the member of Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Relations.
Lilletun, 45, was the Norwegian Minister of Education, Research and Church Affairs 1997- 2000 for the Christian People's Party. He has been an MP since 1989 (deputy member 1981-1985).
The Norwegian Parliament's Foreign Relations' Committee has been actively engaged in monitoring the situation in disputed Kashmir for about a decade and half owing to hectic lobbying by executive director of Kashmiri-Scandinavian Council Ali S Khan.
The Parliamentary Sub Committee on Kashmir was first formed in 1999 and was led by journalist-turned-politician Larse Rise.
Under his leadership, not only the members actively monitored the situation in the disputed territory but also visited both the sides of the LoC.
Though there are similar groups in the parliaments of five countries, such as the British Parliament, American Congress, the EU parliament in Brussels and within the National Assembly in Pakistan, the one in Norway "is the most non-partisan" and headed by the senior most parliamentarian from the experience as well as office point of view both.
The other members, who attended the sub committee's first meeting, included Jorund Heenning Rytman, Morten Huglund, Hans Olav Siversen, Morten Hxyby, Gunhil Sxrensen while former minister of state for foreign affairs Odd Justain Saeter has been appointed as the secretary of the sub committee.
"The committee would continue to follow the situation in the scenic but disputed Jammu and Kashmir," Jon Lilletun told the maiden meeting of the new sub committee in Oslo's Storting Building.
Jon Lilletun said, "we are engaged in the process of gathering and building knowledge about the conflict and the sensitivities of the actors involved."
He was appreciative of the efforts of Kashmiri lobbyist Ali S Khan. Lilletun said, "the Norwegian nation has volunteered for playing the role of a peace maker and we are proud to be that way."
Earlier, Defence Analyst Laila Bukhari, a Norwegian born to an immigrant family from Pakistan, briefed the committee about the history and current dynamics of the Kashmir dispute, briefly touching up the recent development after the LoC cease-fire.
Like Laila Bokahri and Ali S Khan attended the parliamentary sub committee on Kashmir on a special invitation.
Khan, Executive Directive of Kashmiri-Scandinavian Council, told the meeting that former US President Clinton called it the world's most dangerous conflict.
He reminded his Norwegian politicians that Kashmir was located at a sensitive place between nuclear India and Pakistan.
"We cannot continue to watch this conflict evolve, year after year," Ali said, touching Norway's sensitive nerve of peacemaking.
"I sincerely hope that Norway will gain confidence through their efforts in Sri Lanka, enough to create a role for them in the Kashmir conflict," he stated.
He emphasised that the Kashmir issue was not India's internal problem but it was a UN-declared 'disputed area'.
Khan was instrumental in getting a release of two million Krone from the Norwegian government in less than a week after the earthquake while the government was about to hand over power to the next election winners.
Adviser to Christian Democratic Party chief Dagfinn Hxybreten last year too lobbied for the parliament members to visit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
President General Pervez Musharraf visited Norway last year. The Kashmiri Scandinavian Council (KSC) is seen as a non-partisan organisation and well respected across the political divides in Scandinavia. Ali S Khan is actively involved in Norwegian parliament since the early 1990s.
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