U.S., Iceland Sign Security Cooperation Agreement

By Alltimepost.com

WASHINGTON — Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work and Icelandic Foreign Affairs Minister Lilja Alfredsdottir on Wednesday signed a joint declaration between the Defense Department and the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs to facilitate future cooperation, according to a DoD release.

In signing the joint declaration, Work and Alfredsdottir agreed that the U.S. and Iceland will retain a resilient defense plan for Iceland, maintain reliable arrangements for timely and effective communications in times of emergency, continue senior-level and expert-level bilateral discussions and explore additional options for increased cooperation, the release said.

In addition, the U.S. reaffirmed its 65-year-old commitment to the defense of Iceland, while Iceland agreed to continue allowing the United States and NATO to use Icelandic facilities in order to reinforce mutual security, the release said.