Security Policy
Iceland and NATO
Iceland has been a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) since its foundation in 1949. Relations between NATO and the European Union (EU) have recently become one of the principal issues of the Organization. It is clear that the European states need to contribute more to their common security. The plans of the EU to increase its military capacity is in some respects a part of that effort. Iceland has expressed its support for increased responsibility of the European states in the security and defence co-operation, but at the same time emphasised the necessity of preserving the unity of the member states of NATO.
| Defence Agreement with the United States Iceland concluded a bilateral Defence Agreement with United States in 1951. Apart from the territorial defence of Iceland, the primary missions of US forces based at Keflavík (the Iceland Defence Force), numbering around 2,200 servicemen, have included air defence, maritime surveillance and early warning in the North Atlantic area. Iceland and the United States undertook in 1993 to reassess mutual defence requirements at Keflavík, based on the 1951 bilateral defence agreement. The results, contained in an understanding signed on April 9, 1996, called for measured reductions in force levels, mainly in the area of air defence, to reflect the relaxation of tension in the North Atlantic region. At the same time, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to the bilateral defence agreement and continuing consultation on that basis. |
 Radar stations in Bolafjall (NV), above, and at Stokksnes (SW) |
An example Iceland's role in defence co-operation is the Radar Agency, run by Iceland since 1987. Its task is to operate four radars in each corner of the country for the Iceland Defence Force. The information obtained is used both by the US military and Icelandic civil air traffic control. In recent years the Icelandic government has been increasing Iceland's role in defence co-operation with the United States and in the multinational defence co-operation with the member states of the Partnership for Peace. Icelandic agencies including the Civil Defence, Coast Guard and State Police Special Forces have participated in military exercises such as Northern Viking and the civil defence exercise Co-operative Safeguard. The government decided to construct a Coast Guard vessel equipped to participate in joint exercises with the US Defence Force involving Search and Rescue operations and maritime surveillance.
Iceland's Export Control System
Peacekeeping
During the last decades, Icelanders began participating in crisis management and peacekeeping activities of international organisations, in particular NATO and the OSCE. For further information, see:
Links (refer to other websites - no responsibility is taken for content)
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO (Org)
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE (Org)
- Western European Union, WEU (Org)
- United Nations, UN (Org)
Top of Page | Last updated: 05/09 |