Foreign Minister Skarphéðinsson met with Danish Minister for European Affairs

Icelandic Foreign Minister Össur Skarphéðinsson, met yesterday with Nicolai Wammen, Denmark's Minister for European Affairs. Mr. Skarphéðinsson explained the status of Iceland's accession negotiations with the European Union that commenced last year, and expressed the Icelandic government's willingness to start addressing Iceland's key interests - fisheries, agriculture, regional policy and monetary issues - by opening the respective chapters as soon as possible.

Minister Wammen reiterated Denmark's support for Icelandic accession to the EU but Danes hold the presidency of the Union until mid-2012. The Ministers discussed, amongst other things, the situation in the eurozone and EU´s recent measures to increase economic discipline and ensure stability. Today, Mr. Wammen met with the Prime Minister and the Minister for Fisheries and Agriculture, and members of Althingi's Foreign Affairs Committee.