Tormod Petter Svennevig
Encyclopedia
Tormod Petter Svennevig was a Norwegian diplomat and politician for the Centre Party
.
He was born in Eide
, Grimstad
, and took his Master of Arts degree in political science at the New School for Social Research in New York. He started working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1955, and was stationed at the embassy in SFR Yugoslavia from 1956 to 1958, Soviet Union
from 1960 to 1963, the United Nations
delegation from 1966 to 1968 and in the Soviet Union again from 1971 to 1972. In between he was stationed in Norway.
From 1972 to 1973 he was a member of Korvald's Cabinet as a State Secretary
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He represented the Centre Party and was also a member of Bærum
municipal council and Akershus
county council
. He has thus been one of the very few diplomats to held an elected office in local politics in Norway.
Svennevig was a member of the Defence Commission from 1974 to 1978. He was then the Norwegian ambassador to Iran
from 1979 to 1982, and doubled as ambassador to Pakistan
. Here, his tenure coincided with the Iranian hostage crisis. Then, after a period as a deputy under-secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Development Cooperation
he was the Norwegian ambassador to Poland
from 1986 to 1991. He was then the Norwegian ambassador to Hungary
from 1991 to 1994, doubling as ambassador to Croatia
.
After his retirement he moved back to Homborsund near Grimstad. Here he chaired the local branch of Norges Forsvarsforening. He has been decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.
Centre Party (Norway)
The Centre Party is a centrist and agrarian political party in Norway, founded in 1920. The Centre Party's policy is not based on any of the major ideologies of the 19th and 20th century, but has a focus on maintaining decentralised economic development and political decision-making.From its...
.
He was born in Eide
Eide, Aust-Agder
Eide is a former municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It is currently located within the municipality of Grimstad in the traditional district of Sørlandet. Eide had an area of , of which is mainland.-Name:...
, Grimstad
Grimstad
is a town and municipality in Aust-Agder county, Norway. It belongs to the geographical region of Sørlandet. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of Grimstad. Other notable places in Grimstad include Eide, Fevik, Fjære, Landvik, Prestegårdskogen, Reddal, and Roresanden.It is...
, and took his Master of Arts degree in political science at the New School for Social Research in New York. He started working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1955, and was stationed at the embassy in SFR Yugoslavia from 1956 to 1958, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
from 1960 to 1963, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
delegation from 1966 to 1968 and in the Soviet Union again from 1971 to 1972. In between he was stationed in Norway.
From 1972 to 1973 he was a member of Korvald's Cabinet as a State Secretary
State Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He represented the Centre Party and was also a member of Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
municipal council and Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
county council
County council (Norway)
A County Council is the highest governing body of the county municipalities in Norway. The county council sets the scope of the county municipal activity. The council is led by a chairman or county mayor...
. He has thus been one of the very few diplomats to held an elected office in local politics in Norway.
Svennevig was a member of the Defence Commission from 1974 to 1978. He was then the Norwegian ambassador to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
from 1979 to 1982, and doubled as ambassador to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Here, his tenure coincided with the Iranian hostage crisis. Then, after a period as a deputy under-secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Development Cooperation
Ministry of Development Cooperation (Norway)
The Norwegian Ministry of Development Cooperation was a Norwegian ministry effective from 1 January 1984 and disestablished 31 December 1989. From 1 January 1990 the ministry was included as a department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs...
he was the Norwegian ambassador to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
from 1986 to 1991. He was then the Norwegian ambassador to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
from 1991 to 1994, doubling as ambassador to Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
After his retirement he moved back to Homborsund near Grimstad. Here he chaired the local branch of Norges Forsvarsforening. He has been decorated as a Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.