Nordic Foreign Ministers discussed the global financial crisis and cooperation in security policy
 

The Nordic foreign ministers met in Helsinki on Monday, 27 October. At the meeting of the Nordic Council, they discussed the global financial crisis that has struck the economy of Iceland particularly hard. They gave their full support to Iceland and its efforts to pull through the difficulties arising from the global financial crisis. In addition, the foreign ministers discussed Nordic cooperation in the EU, the UN, Afghanistan and in Arctic regions.

According to Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, who chaired the meeting, new initiatives in Nordic security policy cooperation can be expected next spring, when the high-level working group appointed by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs last summer presents its report. The working group is led by former Norwegian Defence and Foreign Minister Thorvald Stoltenberg.

At the same time, Bildt praised the good campaign waged by Iceland as a candidate for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. "The campaign raised the common Nordic profile in UN spheres even though Iceland did not gain a seat on the Security Council this time," Bildt said.

Finland's goal is to gain a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for he years 2013-2014. The foreign ministers expressed their support for Finland's candidature. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb stated that the campaign is already in full swing. "The work will take years," Stubb said.

The foreign ministers also gave their full support to Iceland, which is striving to cope with the economic difficulties stemming from the global financial crisis, among others, with assistance from the IMF. According to Foreign Minister Bildt, the Nordic countries are now better equipped to cope with the financial crisis than during the previous recession of the early 1990s. "We can be grateful that some countries have a common currency, otherwise there would also be a rampant currency crisis on our hands," Bildt stated.

In addition, the foreign ministers discussed the situation in Afghanistan and Nordic cooperation in Arctic regions.

The meeting of the Nordic Council will continue at the Finnish Parliament until 29 October. Hundreds of parliamentarians and government representatives from all the Nordic countries and autonomous regions have gathered for the 60th Session of the Nordic Council. The next Nordic Council meeting will be held in Reykjavik in April 2009.