The foreign ministers of the Nordic Countries will meet in Copenhagen on Thursday, March 11, to discuss co-operation on security issues.
In February of 2009 former Norwegian foreign minister Thorvald Stoltenberg presented a report where he recommended that the five Nordic countries should strengthen security cooperation in the north.
Thursdays meeting follows up on this recommendation, the Barents Observer reports.
It is widely believed that the Nordic area will have an increasing geopolitical and strategic importance, following the Nordic waters role as production and transit area for oil and gas to the European markets and the development of the Arctic, the report reads. With climate change and ice melting, these [Arctic] waters are opened for considerably activities, including new shipping routes [
] This makes it interesting with Nordic cooperation in the sea areas and the Arctic," said Stoltenberg's report.
Among Stoltenbergs proposals was the establishment of joint maritime rapid action group based on the nations' coast guards and rescue services.
Last spring, the defense Ministers from the Nordic countries met in Finland and discussed joint cooperation.
Last month's NATO exercise Cold Response in Northern Norway for the first time also included Swedish territory.
Nordic ministers discuss defense issues
Co-operation on security is high on the agenda.
Published: 11.03.2010 08:23
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