More funds for Norwegian police ahead of Obama visit

Nov 27, 2009, 13:22 GMT

Oslo - The Norwegian government Friday approved extra funds for security measures when US President Barack Obama visits Oslo next month to receive his Nobel Peace Prize.

'The visit entails the largest and most difficult security operation the Norwegian police have ever been in charge of,' said Knut Storberget, minister for justice and the police.

Police are to receive 80 million kroner (14.2 million dollars) that would fund overtime and expenses for the some 2,500 officers expected to be part of the operation, the government said.

The military was allocated 12 million kroner and was to provide helicopters as well as personnel and other equipment.

Obama is due on December 10 to receive his Nobel Peace Prize. He was cited by the five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee for 'his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.'

The day before the award ceremony, Obama is scheduled to visit the Danish capital of Copenhagen, where the United Nations climate change conference takes place from December 7-18.

US First Lady Michelle Obama was also due to attend the award ceremony in Oslo City Hall. However, their daughters Malia and Sasha would not be coming, Geir Lundestad, secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, told the online edition of the Verdens Gang newspaper.

The peace prize is one of the awards endowed by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite.