Resignation at the top of Norwegian diplomacy, in the Epstein scandal. The financier left the ambassador's children and husband a legacy of 10 million dollars
One of the documents released by the Washington Department of Justice in the Epstein files, PHOTO: Jon Elswick / AP / Profimedia Images
Norway's ambassador to Jordan, Mona Juul, who played a key role in efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the early 1990s, has resigned, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Sunday, following the launch of an investigation into alleged links between this high-ranking diplomat and convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reports AFP, according to Agerpres.
“It is a right and necessary decision. Juul's contacts with convicted sex offender Epstein demonstrated a serious error of judgment,” Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said, stressing that the move was taken after discussions with the Foreign Ministry.
Mona Juul, who played an important role in the secret Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that led to the Oslo Accords in the early 1990s, is among the Norwegian figures whose names appear in new Epstein documents released by the US Department of Justice.
She was temporarily removed from her position on Monday while an investigation into her alleged ties to Epstein continues.
According to Norwegian media, Epstein, who committed suicide in prison in 2019, bequeathed $10 million to the two children of Mona Juul and her husband, diplomat Terje Rod-Larsen, who also participated in the Oslo Accords negotiations.
According to Eide, the ministry will continue to hold talks with Mona Juul as part of an ongoing investigation to determine the extent of their dealings.
And British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's chief of staff announced his resignation on Sunday, amid controversy surrounding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, despite his ties to Epstein.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to resign from the Government. The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself,” Morgan McSweeney said in a statement.
“I advised the prime minister to make this appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice,” he added.
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