Nordic and Baltic countries stand together in the fight against terrorism

'The recent terrorist attacks in Barcelona and Turku are a reminder of how important it is to continue the fight against terrorism and extremism. Cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries can play an important role in this respect,' Mr Brende said.

Norway is chairing the Nordic-Baltic cooperation (NB8) in the area of foreign policy in 2017, and Foreign Minister Brende therefore hosted this year's meeting of the foreign ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway, which took place in Oslo today.

'We are living in a time of heightened tension and unpredictability. Closer dialogue on security policy between the Nordic and Baltic countries is a concrete contribution to enhancing the security of the Baltic Sea region. This forum also provides an opportunity for us to agree on how we can work together to address other key challenges,' Mr Brende said.

At the meeting, the foreign ministers discussed relations with Russia, transatlantic cooperation, issues relating to the UN and Europe, and security in the Nordic-Baltic region. It was an open and constructive discussion on important strategic and regional interests.

The Nordic and Baltic foreign ministers agreed at the meeting in Oslo to boost efforts to further the women, peace and security agenda by holding an annual meeting on the topic. The first of these meetings will be held in Copenhagen in November this year.

Read the joint statements from the meeting here:

• Women, peace and security (pdf)
• Countering Terrorism and Preventing Violent Extremism (pdf)