Former Icelandic Prime Minister tells TVP World’s Adam Jasser that rising global tensions have shifted Arctic priorities. She stressed Iceland’s NATO role and calls for the Arctic to remain a zone of peace and cooperation.
[Transcripts here for readers writers and researchers]
TRANSCRIPT:
Q Controversial but at the same time it it rose awareness of the security threat to the Arctic particularly western interest there. -Exactly.- Was that intervention in the end beneficial to the region?
A: Well I think it caused a lot of disruption within of course Greenland. because Greenland is a is a is a huge country and I know there are a lot of interest in it both because of defense and security but also because of and also other economic interests.
but I think what we are seeing here at the Arctic Circle Assembly is simply the fact that this is a an item moving up on the agenda and at the same time we have other security threats that we must not- we we cannot forget.
And there I'm obviously referring referring to the climate security threat, the fact that climate change is happening at a multiple pace here in the Arctic. We are seeing different aspects of it. Wildland fires in the permafrost areas. We're seeing rising sea levels and melting ice. And all of this is not just affecting the Arctic, but the rest of the globe.
Q: But in a sense, you know, climate change is also the reason why Arctic is becoming so interesting to for example, China and Russia. There was a Chinese ship just the other day that passed through the northern road. And you know, so what what I would like to get from you is is there any specific example or examples of of these security risks or threats or hostility from from Russia or from China?
A: I simply say you know all of us are absolutely aware that there are tensions and that the Arctic is not excluded and what we saw you know after the cold war the Arctic Council is founded. In 2021 the Arctic Council decides on a strategy to 10 years where all those eight Arctic states and the permanent participants the indigenous peoples say you know we want to see the Arctic as a peaceful area, a stable area, a low tension area.
But what has happened in the world is that we are seeing tensions rising and sadly the Arctic is not excluded and that of course also because there are also these economic interests as you so rightly mentioned is also creating pressure on the ecosystem.
Q: So in a sense some of the let's say soft concerns are giving way to hard security issues.
A: Well, yes. And you know, coming from Iceland where we have a very broad vision of security and safety because we live in an island, you know, where natural hazards are for
Q: And you don't have a standing army, do you? Is that time to review this policy?
A: We don't have a standing army. Of course, we've been- We have been members of NATO since 1949. We have a defense agreement with the United States. So our civilian institutions like the coastal guard are really our contribution into
Q: do you believe that let's say NATO presence here military presence should increase over the next few years? I don't know boots on the ground more ships. Your personal opinion?
A: No no I my personal opinion. Yes. No I I think what we have been doing is that we have been trying to increase that collaboration in a strategic way. So, so for example to keep a watch on the ocean around Iceland which is- this is a big economic zone and that's what we have been doing and contributing in close collaboration with the NATO countries and I think we have been forming our contribution in a very strategic way
Q: right Iceland is not part of the European Union
A: no
Q: but you're in close cooperation you have agreements so given all these circumstances both climate change and the security concerns….
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Q: So what would be your message to the Chinese as you know this is becoming a controversial issue their support for Russia but also their push into the Arctic? What would be your sort of oneliner to China?
A: Well, I say, you know, we are ready to have a talk and a dialogue, but when we think about the Arctic and the non Arctic states that are coming here, because there are many nonArctic states who are very interested in the Arctic, we need to be mindful of that the Arctic is of course a global issue. It's a global issue because what happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic, but it's also a local issue.
It is a region where people live and it's very important that we-
that we think about that balance between the Arctic as a local issue and then the global effects but I think also and we can't deny that that for example the melting ice in the Arctic is going to have effects on weather patterns in India in China etc. So obviously we cannot only think about the Arctic as a local issue.
Prime Minister, thank you very much for your time. Thank you. Thank you very much for watching World Talks and stay on with us for more news and analysis.
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