Norwegian Embassy, oil and �Nobel�

Norway is one of the most developed countries worldwide. The largest oil company of this country operating in our power-generating sector- Statoil is Azerbaijan"s anchor investor. Norway is not ranked among countries that meets its energy interests in Azerbaijan through burying its head in the sand and keeping up appearances. Nor demanding democracy from the government in our stead. At the same time the country did not remain unmoved to the violation of democracy and human rights. From time to time the country"s representation voiced its objection tactfully, in accordance with diplomatic procedure. The Norwegian Embassy to Azerbaijan has been noted for its powerful support of civil society. Finally, the last week the Norwegian Embassy suspended its diplomatic activity in our country. From now on, the Norwegian Embassy to Georgia will run issues surrounding Azerbaijan. Strain in diplomatic relations spilled over to Azerbaijan as well: Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Stockholm was recalled as well. It is a testament to the fact that the world made no mistake about Georgia"s being democratic center of South Caucasus. This step is additional confirmation of the above-mentioned assumption.

Norway as the state of welfare

Norway"s national might consists not only of its oil and financial capabilities. It lies in the effective worship to the nation. Two aspects of the issue matter most. According to the ranked list-2017 of the International Monetary Fund, with its level of per capita income - $70, 590, Norway is ranked 6 in the world. In spite of the fact that the Norwegian economy went through the lowest economic performance in 2008-2009, the country contrived to reach all-time level of unemployment. Reports-2014 say that Norway is ranked first in the world by living standards.

Norwegian oil and pension fund

Norway is famed for its highest financial accountability as a country setting a high value on each krone and accumulating oil money for investing into country"s pension fund. It is effective control mechanism of civil society sector and the government that made it possible to accumulate more than 1 trillion USD in the pension fund. The sum is colossal for a country with 6 million population. Suffice it to say that the pension fund"s money is up 2-3 times from country"s GDP. It is needless to explain what this figure means for an ordinary man who has some idea of economy.

According to the world experience, the countries are classified into four economic models: (ı) knowledge-producing countries (the Netherlands); (ıı) technology-producing countries (Japan, Singapore, Malaysia); (ııı) raw material countries (Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Venezuela) and (ıv) agrarian-inclined countries (Greece, Mongolia,Turkey). With its enormous raw material resources, Norway as highly developed country is not among countries of the third group; it is ranked as a model benefiting most from oil revenues. It is the country that encorages democracy and effective management. Norway avails of oil money in a saving manner mostly referring to the idea that public money must be owned by all citizens of the country. That"s why the accumulated funds are used not only for financing the pension fund but also for creating a system of distributive justice for the future generation.

Given the grave impact of oil resources depletion in the nearest future, the government of Norway is eager to expend oil money rationally. In the meanwhile, Norway"s reserves proven make up 10.4 bln barrels. A comparative analysis is illustrative that Norway is believed to be a country with the largest oil reserves among other European countries. However, when it came to the Pension Fund, the government of Norway never rest content with large oil reserves and revenues obtained. They survived without using oil resources and blazed a new trail. They were successful in substituting resource "damnation" for resource "award".

Triangle oil, "Nobel", book

It was the Azerbaijani oil that erstwhile provided the Nobel brothers with great benevolence. As for us, we failed to take the upper hand over our oil, nor become similar to "Nobelists". Should we succeed in nurturing, at least, two Nobel Prize Winners over two billion worth oil output, we would safely convert "black gold" into "white gold" and oil money into human capital. The point is about "Nobel" acquisitions from the Azerbaijani oil. Like an American economist of Russian ancestry, Leonid Hurwitz... He became a Nobel Prize Winner at the age of 90 (2007). A year later he died. Crucial for the formation of initial capital as a source of the prize fund, Baku has not much to boast of even a single prize winner. As for sciences and knowledge...Norway is ahead of the curve as the world"s most reading nation per capita.

Cutting off diplomatic ties with such a consummate, balanced and democratic state is none other than discontinuation of progressive advance of Azerbaijan.

From oil abundance to oil-free life; from raw material surplus to quality of education; from administrative system to democracy - this is Norway. In fact, the force of diplomacy is consigned to converting enemies into friends, not losing friends!