Officials from Iceland and Norway met at the Foreign Ministry in Reykjavík yesterday to discuss defense issues and Icelandic and Danish officials met in Copenhagen on Monday.
Icelandic Foreign Minister Valgerdur Sverrisdóttir told RÚV that the purpose of these meetings is primarily to find out how the three nations can cooperate on defense issues.
Sverrisdóttir said the meetings have shown that all parties are interested in cooperating and therefore new meetings are scheduled for February to discuss a joint defense agreement further.
The minister added that meetings with officials from the UK and Canada are scheduled for January to discuss the possibility of a defense partnership with those countries too.
Sverrisdóttir said Iceland will not be a mere receiver in these new agreements. The aim is to benefit all parties, she explained.
The US had primary responsibility for Iceland’s defenses until September this year, when the US Naval Air Station in Keflavík was closed.
