More contemptible behavior from the Norwegian government, where they’re planning to hold meetings with the brother of Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, the Pediatrician of Death (lgf: search): Norway ready to meet Hamas representatives.

OSLO (AFP) - The Norwegian government says it is considering meeting representatives of the radical Islamic group Hamas during their visit to Oslo in May even though some countries have refused to recognize the new Palestinian government.

“The government believes in dialogue, including with groups whose actions we do not agree with,” Norwegian Aid Minister Erik Solheim told public radio NRK.

Solheim did not specify at what level a meeting could be held, saying only that Norwegian high-ranking civil servants or members of parliament could take part.

The spokesman for Hamas’ parliamentary group, Salah Bardawil, and Mohammed al-Rantissi are scheduled to visit Oslo on May 15 at the invitation of the Norwegian Palestine Committee, according to Norwegian news agency NTB.

Al-Rantissi is the brother of Abdelaziz al-Rantissi, a former Hamas leader who was killed in an Israeli raid in April 2004.

UPDATE at 4/18/06 1:46:48 pm:

Norway’s Prime Minister says, “Oh no, we don’t.”

Norway’s government seemed to be contradicting itself on Tuesday, with one minister claiming the government would meet with representatives of Hamas while the prime minister later said it won’t happen.

Erik Solheim, a long-time peace broker who’s now the government minister in charge of foreign aid, had told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) early Tuesday that the government would meet with Hamas’ officials when they visit Norway on May 15. Solheim stressed that it was important to maintain a dialogue with Hamas, even though Hamas had justified a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on Monday on the grounds it was “self-defense” against the Israeli occupation of Palestinian areas.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, however, later seemed to put a halt to any plans by government officials to meet with the Hamas respresentatives. Stoltenberg told NRK Tuesday afternoon that no members of his government would be meeting Hamas. There will, he allowed, be meetings at the administrative level, however, in order to get across Norwegian views.

“We want to express our demands to the Hamas authorities, for example, that they distance themselves from violence, and accept international agreements,” Stoltenberg said.