Norway assumes chairmanship of Barents Euro-Arctic Council

For the next two years Foreign Minister Jan Petersen will head the co-operation between the Nordic countries, Russia and the EU in the Barents Euro-Arctic Council. The changeover is taking place at the foreign ministers’ meeting in Umeå, in Sweden, on 2 and 3 October.

"The Barents Region represents a very important dimension in Norwegian foreign policy. The Barents co-operation helps to direct attention to global problems such as nuclear safety, climate change and pollution, which can only be solved through joint efforts," said the Foreign Minister.

He continued, "We have achieved a great deal since Norway first took the initiative to establish this co-operation 10 years ago. I am now especially concerned to promote progress in the business, higher education and health sectors, the justice and home affairs sector and in the co-operation in the search and rescue sector.

"During our chairmanship we will give high priority to contact between key actors at the national, regional and local levels and across national borders."

The contact person in Umeå is Deputy Director General Øystein Bø, tel: 90 52 08 54.