Norway Plans to Increase Its Nicaragua Aid

Norway, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization member, said today that it plans to step up aid to Nicaragua, two weeks after the United States imposed a trade embargo aimed at isolating the leftist government in Managua.

The announcement in Oslo by Development Cooperation Minister Reidun Brusletten coincided with President Daniel Ortega’s arrival in Sweden from Finland as part of a European tour aimed at drumming up support for his country in its dispute with Washington.

The Norwegian minister told reporters that an official delegation will visit Nicaragua in the next month to study new bilateral cooperation projects but he gave no details of what form the increased aid might take.

The Norwegian decision followed a statement by Swedish Foreign Minister Lennart Bodstroem earlier this week that Sweden is studying ways of softening the impact of the trade sanctions, imposed May 2.

Ortega, who is not scheduled to visit Norway during this trip, was to have talks with Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme during his visit here.

Norway provides $6.7 million in aid annually to Nicaragua and Sweden $10 million. Finland has earmarked aid totaling $11 million between now and 1987.

Finnish Foreign Minister Paavo Vaeyrynen said Thursday that Finland would increase humanitarian aid to Managua in the form of foodstuffs but would not raise its direct cash grant.