Norwegian-Icelandic cooperation on rescue helicopters to continue

Delegations from Norway and Iceland met in Reykjavik on 3 September and decided that the Norwegian-Icelandic cooperation on acquiring rescue helicopters will continue.

This cooperation is based on the agreement on new rescue helicopters which was signed by Iceland’s Minister of Justice Bjørn Bjarnason and Norway’s Minister of Justice Knut Storberget on 30 November 2007.

The purpose of the meeting was to establish a joint platform for the further acquisition work. This work will be conducted by the Norwegian acquisition project (www.nawsarh.dep.no).

A joint announcement of tender will be issued in the course of 2009. New, long-range rescue helicopters must be operative in both countries by 2015. The coming tendering process will involve major challenges for both Norway and Iceland, but the work is progressing in line with the cooperation agreement.

The Norwegian Cooperation Council delegation was led by Director General Mette Stangerhaugen from the Ministry of Justice. The Icelandic delegation was led by Head of Department Thórunn J. Hafstein from Iceland’s Ministry of Justice.