Iceland and Finland will increase cooperation regarding the Arctic

Ossur Skarphedinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs, discussed European affairs and matters concerning the Arctic region at his meeting in Tallinn Estonia, with Erkki Tuomioja, Finland's Minister for Foreign Affairs. The minister thanked Finland for its cooperation in European affairs, which includes expertise councelling on agricultural and regional affairs.

The minister remarked on the situation with Iceland's accession talks with the European Union and the Finnish minister vowed to continue his full support for Iceland's application to the EU. They discussed the situation in the Euro-zone and Finnish politics, where a new government has recently come into power.

The ministers declared their wish to increase the two nations' cooperation regarding the Arctic region, with an emphasis on education, research and distance teaching. The cooperation is to be developed further during the coming winter.