Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Barents Cooperation in 2018, we now have the opportunity to talk to the Foreign Ministers of the Barents countries to shed light on the results and the future of the cooperation. |
For Margot Wallström Barents region is about people-to-people contacts, cooperation and great potential. It is about the stunning nature and the special environment that we must preserve – and that is what Sweden wants the world to pay attention to during its chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.
– Through joint efforts, we have managed to create a zone of confidence, stability and good-neighborhood relations in Northern Europe. That said, our multifaceted cooperation is resistant to fluctuations of political environment, says Sergey Lavrov, the Foreign Minister of Russia, about the main achievements of 25 years history of the Barents cooperation.
Back in the 1990's, Norway made the first initiative to establish international cooperation in the Barents region. In anticipation of the coming jubileum, Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende shares his thoughts on the first 25 years of the cooperation.
Finland will become the Chair of the Arctic Council in May 2017. According to Soini the chairmanship will provide an opportunity to highlight areas that are important for the Barents cooperation.
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Background photo: Peter Prokosch, GRID Arendal |
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