To Remember Like a Diplomat1
TO REMEMBER LIKE A DIPLOMAT1 HAAKON A. IKONOMOU The end of the story is what equates the present with the past, the actual with the potential. The hero is who he was.2 INTRODUCTION The Norwegian electorate’s ‘no’ to entry into the European Community (EC), Sep- tember 1972, was a kick in the teeth for the established political, economic and administrative elites of Norway.3 In fact, the two biggest parties (Labour and the Conservatives), most of the parliament (Storting), the big export oriented econo- mic sectors and the shipping industry, the majority of the leading national news- papers, and almost all of the administrative elite were in favour of membership. Yet, it did not happen. Britain, Denmark and Ireland joined the EC in January 1973, while Norway negotiated a trade agreement with the newly enlarged Community.4 The blow was particularly hard for a small group of multilateral economic di- plomats – simply called the Europeans – who had worked continuously with the EC-case for 12 years.5 Through their work they became professionally, and later 1 I would like to thank Giles Scott-Smith, Karen Gram-Skjoldager, Dino Knudsen, Michael An- dersen, Johann Leitz, Pernille Østergaard Hansen and the ‘Nyt Diplomati’-workshop, Saxo- Institute, Copenhagen University, March 13, 2014 for valuable comments and good discus- sions. I would also like to thank the diplomats interviewed, who have shared their life, work and thoughts with me – I am very grateful. Last I would like to thank the two anonymous reviewers who have given me many useful tips and corrections.
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