Iceland to seek new security partnerships after voters reject EU accession talks
The foreign minister said Iceland will pursue bilateral agreements and closer EU cooperation after voters rejected reopening accession talks.
- On Monday, Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Gunnarsdottir announced Iceland will pursue bilateral security agreements after voters rejected restarting European Union accession talks, stating the country must find alternative ways to strengthen national security.
- Saturday's referendum saw 82.5% of eligible voters participate, with 52.8% of ballots cast against the government's proposal to hold negotiations with Brussels, demonstrating public opposition despite government warnings that EU membership could bolster security.
- Iceland has been part of the European Economic Area since 1994, an agreement granting access to the EU's single market without full membership, which officials now aim to strengthen to maintain essential cooperation.
- Reykjavik will pursue bilateral security agreements with Finland, Norway, Japan, and Canada to bolster defense, as Gunnarsdottir noted all Icelandic parties are now united behind the EEA agreement.
- U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated questioning of NATO commitments and interest in acquiring Greenland have sharpened the security debate, driving Iceland's urgency to secure independent defense agreements outside of traditional alliances.
23 Articles
23 Articles
The day after Reykjavik. The island aims at bilateral agreements on defence and Brussels reflects on the reasons for the rejection
(Brussels=Yonhap News) Correspondent Hyun Yun-kyung = Iceland, whose referendum on resuming EU accession negotiations was rejected, must find new ways to strengthen its security...
After the failure of the referendum on the resumption of EU accession negotiations, Iceland does not plan to phase out cooperation with Europe; it will seek other ways to strengthen its own security.
Iceland to seek new security partnerships after voters reject EU accession talks
Iceland needs to find new ways to strengthen its security after voters rejected restarting accession talks with the EU, the country's foreign minister told Reuters on Monday, including by seeking bilateral cooperation and deepening ties with the bloc.
Iceland is grappling with the fallout from the referendum result, which on Saturday rejected the resumption of EU membership negotiations. This comes as key issues discussed during the campaign remain unresolved – from economic concerns, such as inflation of 5.6% and interest rates of 8%, to the issue of […]
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