Estonia, Norway preparing to cooperate at UNSC
Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu met with the Foreign Minister of Norway Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide in Tallinn on Tuesday to discuss Nordic-Baltic cooperation and cooperation at the UN Security Council.
The ministers discussed UN Security Council topics, as both Estonia and Norway are non-permanent members of the council in 2021.
"For the first time, two Nordic-Baltic countries will be elected members of the UN Security Council at the same time," Reinsalu (Isamaa) said. "This offers new opportunities for like-minded European countries to address their common priorities and present their positions.
"We reaffirmed our shared commitment to reinforcing the regional cooperation of Nordic-Baltic countries. In light of the current crisis, close regional cooperation is particularly important, and we are grateful to our Norwegian colleagues for our active communication."
Welcomed ???????? FM Søreide in Tallinn to exchange thoughts on bilateral matters, pressing European issues and cooperation for forthcoming year together at the #UNSC. Discussed Belarus, Navalny, Covid response, Arctic Council, active #NB8 cooperation. pic.twitter.com/6jWzI6bEXK
— Urmas Reinsalu (@UrmasReinsalu) September 8, 2020
Reinsalu also presented Estonia's plan to apply for observer status on the Arctic Council. Estonia is planning to submit its proposal to the Secretariat of the Arctic Council in Norway in the coming months.
The ministers discussed the situation in Belarus, expressing concern over the violence and arrests, and talked about the possible ways of supporting the society of Belarus. They also spoke about the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and the need for an international investigation.
The bilateral meeting of ministers is followed by the meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of Nordic countries and Baltic States, where the agenda includes current foreign policy issues, regional integration and further cooperation possibilities.
Good conversation with @UrmasReinsalu. Norway and Estonia enjoy an excellent bilateral relationship. We are allies, business relations are good and people-to-people contacts are many. Looking forward to be a partner together in the #SecurityCouncil next year. pic.twitter.com/4rcZs9Z5dC
— Norway MFA (@NorwayMFA) September 8, 2020
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Editor: Helen Wright
