Meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Nordic Countries

The Foreign Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden met in Reykjavik on 8-9 June 2009 to discuss ways to strengthen Nordic cooperation in the areas of foreign affairs and security policy. The Ministers emphasize the strong community of values between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. There is a common interest to contribute to stability in the Nordic region and its vicinity. On the basis of common interests and geographical proximity it is natural for the Nordic countries to cooperate in meeting the challenges in the area of foreign and security policy in the spirit of solidarity. Increased Nordic co-operation is in line with every Nordic country’s security and defense policy and complements existing European and Euro-Atlantic cooperation. Efforts to promote democracy, international law including human rights, gender equality and sustainable development are integral parts of the foreign policy of the Nordic countries.