Ministry of Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphéðinsson has assembled a workgroup to outline Iceland’s national defence strategy – a task that will prove challenging with no standing military.
There have been no soldiers stationed in Iceland since the NATO base officially closed in 2006, and while this was replaced by the short-lived Office of Defence, this was axed in 2009. Since then, Iceland has had no national security, and a series of Russian military fly-bys have made a number of people nervous.
RÚV now reports that the minister has assembled a team from every political party to draw up a new strategy for the country’s defence. However, they will need to do this based on the condition that Iceland remains a military-free and weapons-free country.
As such, the country’s defence will likely take the form of early warning systems such as radar, sonar and military communications devices. In the event of a military aggressor, Iceland would presumably contact one or more other NATO countries to come to their aid.
No timeframe has been given for when the workgroup is expected to submit its findings.
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