Norwegian diplomat steps down over Epstein ties

Norway’s foreign ministry on Sunday said a prominent ambassador, Mona Juul, would step down due to a “serious failure of judgement” over ties to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, part of a ⁠growing scandal in the Nordic country and across Europe.
The ministry earlier this week suspended Juul from her position as ambassador to Jordan and ⁠Iraq pending an internal inquiry of links to Epstein found in a massive set of files released by the United States government.
“Juul’s contact with convicted sex offender Epstein has shown a serious failure of judgment.
The case makes it difficult to rebuild the trust that the role requires,” Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement.
Juul, 66, a former ⁠junior government minister, previously represented Norway as ambassador to Israel, Britain and at the United Nations.