Ban gasoline cars from 2015: Norway Finance Minister

Halvorsen denied that her proposal would undermine the economy -- Norway is the world's number six oil exporter.

"Not at all ... we know that the world will be dependent on oil and gas for many decades ahead but we have to introduce new technologies and this is a proposal to support that," she said.

Asked what she would say if she met the head of a big car producer such as General Motors, she said: "develop new and more environmentally friendly cars. And I know they are working on that question."

She said many people in Norway had initially misunderstood her proposal.

"A lot of people are very fond of their cars, it's like a member of the family," she said. "A lot of people thought that this proposal also would go after the cars we already have. That is not the case, it's the new cars that are bought after 2015."

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(Editing by Richard Balmforth)