The Murmansk Region administration said Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere would meet with Yury Yevdokimov, the regional governor, during a two-day visit to the city, which is about a hundred miles from the Norwegian border.
During the meeting, representatives of the Murmansk Region and the Finnmark Government Council are expected to sign an agreement on financing the reconstruction of a highway from Murmansk to Kirkenes, a Norwegian port on the Barents Sea near the Russian border. The Murmansk Region also plans to sign an agreement with Norwegian oil company Statoil.
Murmansk, the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle with a population of about 360,000, is the only Russian city with Statoil service stations. The port is a major transit point for the fishing industry, as well as for metals and coal, and oil.
During his visit, the minister also intends to meet with Norwegian businessmen in the region, and representatives of the Russian fishing industry.
He will also attend the opening ceremony of an office of Norwegian energy and aluminum company Hydro.
The Norwegian delegation will include Norwegian Ambassador to Russia Oeyvind Nordsletten, and several other senior officials.
