Cooperation in the High North on the agenda during Defence Minister Gade's visit

Denmark’s Minister of Defence, Soren Gade today met with Iceland’s Foreign Minister, Ossur Skarphedinsson, and Iceland’s Minister of Justice, Ragna Arnadottir.

Air-policing in Iceland by the Danish airforce and increased Nordic cooperation on security matters and search and rescue in the North-Atlantic, were among the issues discussed during a meeting between Denmark’s Minister of Defence, Soren Gade, Iceland’s Foreign Minister, Ossur Skarphedinsson, and Iceland’s Minister of Justice, Ragna Arnadottir. Minister Gade’s visit is in connection with the air-policing, which is scheduled until end March.

Foreign Minister Skarphedinsson thanked Minister Gade for the Danish contribution to NATO air-policing around Iceland, applauding it as a sign of Nordic solidarity. Skarphedinsson and Gade also discussed the Stoltenberg-report on Nordic security and defence cooperation. Fomer Foreign and Defence Minister Stoltenberg’s report was introduced to the five Nordic Foreign Ministers in February and it will be further developed in time for the upcoming meeting of Foreign Ministers in May.

The three ministers discussed security matters in the High North, including implications of new trans-arctic shipping routes. They also discussed closer cooperation between the Icelandic Coastguard and the Danish Navy on surveillance and search and rescue in the North-Atlantic.