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OSLO (AFP) - The United States was worried about how plans for a closer Nordic defence cooperation would affect Norway's participation in NATO and its relationship with Washington, the Aftenposten daily reported Monday, citing a diplomatic cable leaked by WikiLeaks.

"The United States should remind Norway where its security guarantee comes from," former US ambassador Benson K. Whitney wrote in a 2008 cable to Washington that was leaked by the whistleblower website to Aftenposten, which published the quotes in Norwegian.

He was reacting to discussions launched two years ago between Oslo and non-NATO members Sweden and Finland to create a tighter Nordic defence cooperation.

Such a Nordic initiative, including cooperation on purchasing military equipment, common training and use of exercise areas and airspace, would weaken Norway's ability to participate in NATO-led operations, he insisted.

"The plan emphasises the importance of the Northern areas and of territorial (and maritime) defence, something that will limit Norway's possibilities to participate in international operations," Whitney cautioned.

"If the United States ignores the Norwegian government's positive attitude to such a cooperation, it could lead to a weakening of the strong transatlantic security and defence policy ties," he added.

The US embassy in Oslo, today led by ambassador Barry B. White, refused to comment on the report or any of the other diplomatic cables from the mission leaked as part of WikiLeaks' latest document dump.