After the liberation from German occupation in 1945, Norway abandoned its history of neutrality and joined NATO, stressing its military alliance and economic cooperation with Britain and the United States.

The Marshall Plan helped Norway to modernize its economy and integrate more into the world market.

Since the 1960s, Norway has been drawn increasingly into European affairs while the importance of ties to Britain and the United States has declined.

Norway refuses to join the European Union, and engages in a largely independent foreign policy.

There is a lingering desire for nonalignment, strengthened by the discovery of vast amounts of oil, that built up a huge rainy day fund in the treasury.

The excellent relations between Norway and the United States, and the Mission in Oslo can focus its efforts on projects that serve mutual interests.

Among them are expanding on the success of NATO in securing transatlantic security, promoting new business opportunities between the two nations, working with the Arctic Council to preserve the Arctic environment and with Russia in particular in the Barents Sea, helping the Baltic nations to find their place in the new Europe, and capitalizing on information technology to promote human rights and a sense of world community.