Norway has decided to locate the next Barents Council meeting to Tromsø, the largest city in Northern Norway.
When the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Sweden, Norway and Finland meet on October 28th and 29th, the plan is to approve a joint communique supposed to concretize the words in the second Kirkenes Declaration adopted earlier in June this year.
How to improve east-west transportation; develop natural resources in a sustainable way and coping with climate changes are key topics. In other words, evolve the enormous potential for economic growth in the Barents Region without sacrificing any environmental goals. In Tromsø, the Ministers will try to outline how the Barents Cooperation could play a difference in that balancing trick.
The Foreign Ministers lining up for the Tromsø meeting is Finland’s Erkki Tuomioja, Russia’s Sergey Lavrov, Norway’s Espen Barth Eide and Sweden’s Carl Bildt. In addition comes observers from several other countries including the European Commission.
The Barents Council meetings are bi-annual and also mark the change of chair from one country to another. In Tromsø, Norway hands over the Central chair to Finland for the next two years. On the regional level, Arkhangelsk Oblast takes over the chair from Norrbotten County.
