Guðlaugur Thór Thórdarson met the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Finland and Sweden

Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development Cooperation, met the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Finland and Sweden, who are in Iceland to attend the Arctic Council’s Ministerial meeting. Relations between the states were discussed, as well as various other matters.

Speaking after the meetings Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson said: “It was a welcome change to be able to meet with my colleagues face-to-face. Although virtual meetings have numerous advantages, the traditional way is still the best option to promote and build trust. The meetings were productive and provided good preparation for the Arctic Council’s Ministerial meeting.” 

The Minister started the day with a bilateral meeting with the Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau. Trade relations were at the forefront of the meeting and the Ministers discussed the possibility of updating the free trade agreement Iceland and Norway have with Canada. Other matters discussed by the Ministers included the tourism sector and COVID-19 related challenges, but Canadians have been the biggest per capita group of travellers to visit Iceland in the last several years.

Arctic affairs were also prominent and the consensus was to emphasise good cooperation in the region with the other members of the Council and to work closely with the indigenous peoples of the region. Other topics included climate and environmental issues, security and defence, and the Ministers also discussed the conflict in the Middle East.

In the afternoon, Mr. Thórdarson met the Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and their main topic of discussion was the Arctic region, since it was from Finland that Iceland took over the Chairmanship in 2019. The Icelandic Minister underlined the importance of maintaining peace, stability and constructive cooperation in the Arctic region. With regard to that, the Arctic Council can serve as an example for other states on how important issues can be resolved in a peaceful manner.

The bilateral relations between the two countries were also prominent in the meeting, since next year will mark the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Iceland and Finland.  Mr. Thórdarson suggested to use the occasion to review the trade relations between the two states and examine how to further them even more. The Ministers also discussed the current conflict in the Middle East.

Mr. Thórdarson also met the Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde. They discussed the Arctic Council’s Ministerial meeting which will take place tomorrow, and the upcoming Chairmanship of the Russian Federation. They also discussed security and defence matters, especially in connection with the Arctic region and Sweden’s cooperation with NATO. The conflict between Israel and Palestine was also brought up and the Ministers agreed that it is important to negotiate a cease-fire between the warring parties as soon as possible.

Bilateral relations between the two states were prominent and the discussion between the two Ministers included the recent partnership between the Business Iceland and Business Sweden. Mr. Thórdarson applauded the partnership and said it was an example of how Nordic cooperation functions at its very best. The Icelandic Minister also expressed his hope that the Swedish Minister for Foreign Trade, Anna Hallberg, would be able to visit Iceland along with the representatives of Business Sweden in order to celebrate the partnership.