The embassy relocation issue has turned into a political thriller, with neighbors both near the existing embassy and the proposed embassy site pitted against each other. That's left city politicians in a tough spot, as they try to balance demands from both sides.
Meanwhile, national politicians have entered the fray. Oslo City Council members tied to the Labour Party have so far voted against an embassy move from downtown to the Huseby district, much to the relief of Huseby residents who don't want a terrorist target in their neighborhood and who are fighting to preserve their last bit of nearby open space. But the new Labour-dominated national government has expressed support for the Americans, and that continues to put pressure on local Labour politicians to change their vote even though they insisted Monday night that they won't.
The entire conflict might have been solved if US Embassy and US State Department officials would have chosen another of the 30-odd locations they were offered as potential sites for what's locally called "Fortress America." But the US officials claim the Huseby site is the only site they'll accept, and they so far have refused to reconsider alternatives.
Among them is a former headquarters for Norway's own military forces, very close to the Huseby site, which all the Norwegians not only support but encourage. The US officials, however, have rejected that site, claiming it doesn't meet their security requirements even though it's located directly behind the homebase for King Harald's royal guards.
Key votes against a move to Huseby
Two city politicians who may hold the swing votes on the embassy relocation finally revealed Monday evening that they'll vote against a move to the Huseby site that the Americans want. Trine Dønnehaug and Knut Even Lindsjørn said they'd go along with the majority of their party colleagues in SV, even though they called it a "difficult" decision because it means the US Embassy likely will remain at its disputed downtown location for several more years.
Rune Gerhardsen, head of the Labour Party's city council group, told Aftenposten that his members wouldn't be changing their vote despite pressure from Norway's Foreign Minister, who's from the Labour Party himself.
Embassy officials, meanwhile, said they wouldn't comment on the issue until the City Council takes a final vote on Wednesday.
