Oslo/Geneva - Norwegian Foreign Minster Jonas Gahr Store on Monday "strongly rejected" remarks by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at United Nations conference on racism and discrimination.

"I strongly reject the previous speaker's remarks," Store said when he was the first speaker to take the floor after Ahmadinejad's speech, news agency NTB reported.

Several delegates left the conference in Geneva after the Iranian leader made derisive remarks about Israel.

The Iranian leader said that Palestinians had been "made homeless" following World War II "under the pretext of Jewish suffering."

The Norwegian foreign minister, however, stayed at the conference, and said Ahmadinejad had set himself apart from others, violating the spirit of the conference and was "the odd man out."

"Norway will not accept that 'the odd man out' kidnaps the efforts for the many," the Norwegian foreign minister said. (dpa)