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High-level talks on Norwegian-Russian military cooperation

Further development of Norwegian-Russian military relations is on the agenda when Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov today arrives to Norway for a three days long visit.

Location

During his stay in Oslo Antonov will have discussions with State Secretary Of the Defense Ministry Roger Ingebrigtsen and meetings with Minister of Defense Espen Barth Eide and State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry Torgeir Larsen. The main topic for discussion is Norwegian-Russian military cooperation, first of all joint exercises, RIA Novosti writes.

The annual naval exercise POMOR is the most extensive joint action involving Norwegian and Russian forces. Planning of the POMOR-2012, which will take place outside the coast of Russia and Norway in the month of May, is well underway. Last year’s exercise included both a Norwegian frigate and a Russian destroyer and offered joint training in boarding operations, search and rescue, air defense, navigation and communication procedures.

In October 2011 Norwegian Chief of Defense General Harald Sunde met his Russian counterpart General Nikolai Makarov in Moscow to discuss an expansion of the military cooperation in High North. The two sides agreed to expand the activities also include air and land units.

Antonov and Ingebrigtsen will also be discussing issues like reorganization of Norwegian and Russian armed forces and their status today, missile defense, the situation in Afghanistan and conventional arms control, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense’s web site reads.

Read the Barents Review 2012 chapter Military cooperation in the High North