In his meeting with Norway’s prime minister, President Medvedev today highlighted cooperation in the Arctic. Ahead of the meeting, the president told Itar-Tass that the two neighboring countries together can have a major impact on Arctic developments.
-Russia and Norway are northern, Arctic countries, therefore the development of the region depends on their level of close, coordinated positions on questions regarding the development of the region, Medvedev said, Itar-Tass reports.
It is expected that both energy issues like the Shtokman field in the Barents Sea, as well as business cooperation and the troubled Russian-Norwegian cooperation within the Vimpelcom company were on today’s agenda. A press release from the Russian presidential administration reads that both bilateral cooperation in the Arctic as well as international security issues, were discussed.
Russia and Norway shares a 196 km long land border as well as huge waters in the Barents Sea. The two countries are together with Finland and Sweden engaged in close cross-border cooperation in the region. The Barents Euro-Arctic Cooperation includes both government ministers and regional politicians. The Norwegian part of the Barents Cooperation is followed up by the Norwegian Barents Secretariat, located in the border town of Kirkenes.
