"No Mixing Drinks" - Iceland supports cooperation with Russia in the Arctic
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"No Mixing Drinks" - Iceland supports cooperation with Russia in the Arctic
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Iceland considers that cooperation of all Arctic nations with Russia is necessary, despite the Ukraine situation - said the Icelandic Ambassador to the United States Geir Haarde. Mr. Haarde's opinion was that one should "not mix drinks" in the Arctic relations - i.e. set aside discontent over the other regions' issues; as Russia is the biggest Arctic state, it should not be excluded from the Arctic issues. "Issue of relations with Russia in this context is uneasy. Yet, despite these problems we think that one should not "mix drinks" - we should keep cooperation in the Arctic separated from the other problems" - said Mr. Haarde during a round table on Arctic relations.
Russia and Iceland are participants of the Arctic Council, alongside with six other Arctic states - Denmark, Canada, Norway, United States, Finland and Sweden. This international structure has been established for cooperation in environment and support sustainable development of subpolar regions. Military and security issues are not in the Arctic Council's agenda.
