Iceland’s airspace will continue to be patrolled by Sweden, Finland and Norway if a proposal is accepted.
Keflavík International Airport. Archive photo copyright Icelandic Photo Agency.
Iceland is a member of NATO but does not have any defense forces. The country does however have a long-standing bilateral defense agreement with the United States.
The proposal calls for a period of joint Nordic patrols. Sweden and Finland would take part in exercises but Norway would be responsible for surveillance of the airspace, Finnish Yle News reports.
As a signatory to the North Atlantic Treaty, Iceland “voluntarily commits itself to participating in the political consultations and military activities of the Organization. Although each and every signatory to the North Atlantic Treaty is subject to the obligations of the Treaty, there remains a certain degree of flexibility which allows members to choose how they participate,” a statement on NATO’s website reads.
The Nordic ministers of defense discussed the issue at a gathering in Bodo, Norway.
ZR
