News

Iceland donates 5 million IKR in emergency relief in Sri Lanka

<p>Ossur Skarphedinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, urges the Government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers to ensure that the civilian population is protected in the fighting.</p>

Iceland responds to UK Treasury Select Committee&#39;s report in a letter to MPs

Iceland&#39;s Ambassador in London has sent a letter, on behalf of the Minister for Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphéðinsson, to all Members of the United Kingdom Parliament

Icelandic Foreign Minister makes a formal complaint on British PM's comments

<p>The Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ossur Skarphedinsson, today made a formal complaint on comments made by the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, during a session of Parliamentary question time</p>

Icelandic Press Officer to join UNICEF in Sudan

The Icelandic Crisis Response Unit has deployed a press officer, Mr. Steinar Sveinsson, for two months, to UNICEF in Sudan.

Report by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Össur Skarphéðinsson

Excerpt from a report by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Össur Skarphéðinsson, on foreign and international affairs, presented to the Alþingi during the 136th session of the legislative assembly 2008-2009.

Iceland comments on EC proposals for restructuring of financial markets supervision in Europe

Iceland has sent the European Commission comments on the Commission?s proposals on addressing the financial meltdown and the actions necessary to remedy the crisis.

Code of Conduct for the Foreign Service

<p>This is the first Code of Conduct to be issued by an Icelandic Ministry, though the Government has recently set up a working group to establish a general Code of Conduct for the civil service as a whole.</p>

Iceland and Dominica to cooperate on geothermal energy

Iceland and the Commonwealth of Dominica have signed a memorandum of understanding on geothermal energy cooperation.

Iceland's FM and US President discuss geothermal energy

<p>President Obama designates a special contact for Iceland on cooperation in the field of geothermal energy</p>

Iceland's Foreign Minister concerned regarding N-Korea's missile launch

<p>The Icelandic Foreign Minister fully supports calls from the international community that North-Korea respects its international commitments and engages in talks with other states.</p>

NATO summit welcomes Iceland's initiative on the High North

<p>Iceland's Foreign Minister urges NATO to increase its role in the High North but cautions against increased military presence in the area.</p>

UK Treasury Committe publishes report on failure of Icelandic Banks

The Treasure Committe of the House of Commons has published a report examining the consequences of the failure of the Icelandic banks in October 2008. The report is the first in a series on the Banking Crisis.

Icelandic UN Permanent representative chairs a session on weapons of mass destruction

The Permanent Representative of Iceland to the UN chairs a session at an IPI Seminar on Weapons of Mass Destruction

Foreign Minister attending NATO anniversary Summit

Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ossur Skarphedinsson, will attend the 60th anniversary NATO Summit,

Respect for human rights essential when rebuilding Afghanistan.

Iceland reaffirms its support to international assistance to Afghanistan at an international conference in the Hague.

Foreign Ministers of Iceland and UK meet in London

The Icelandic Foreign Minister, Mr Ossur Skarphedinsson, and the Foreign Secretary, Mr David Miliband MP, met in London on 31 March 2009

Increased cooperation in promoting Iceland and Icelandic products

Cooperation Agreement between the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Icelandic Tourist Board and the Trade Council of Iceland on <em>Promote Iceland</em>

Report on Nordic Development and Humanitarian Programmes

A report on Nordic development and humanitarian programmes in Afghanistan has been published

Cooperation in the High North on the agenda during Defence Minister Gade's visit

Absentee voting for Parliamentary elections begins

Absentee voting for the 25 April Parliamentary elections in Iceland will begin on Monday, 16 March 2009.

A Risk Assessment for Iceland

Professor Valur Ingimundarson, Chairman of the interdisciplinary Commission for a Risk Assessment for Iceland, today delivered the Commission&#39;s report to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Össur Skarphéðinsson.

Seminar on Security Prospects in the High North, Reykjavík 29 January 2009

NATO and the Government of Iceland organized the seminar to discuss the challenges in the High North. The participants agreed that the confrontation of the Cold War belongs to the past and nations now face a completely new security environment.

Foreign Ministers of Iceland and Albania meet

Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Össur Skarphedinsson, met with the Foreign Minister of Albania, Lulzim Basha, on February 12 during his visit to Iceland to discuss NATO&rsquo;s enlargement process as well as energy issues.

Iceland invites the OSCE to observe elections

<p>The Icelandic delegation to OSCE, in Vienna, has invited the organization to observe the early, parliamentary elections, planned for this spring.</p>

Icelandic Foreign Minister interviewed by David Frost

Össur Skarphéðinsson, the Icelandic Foreign Minister, talked about the Icelandic economy, European issues and fisheries with David Frost on the television station Al Jazeera.

Stoltenberg Report presented to Nordic Foreign Ministers

Össur Skarphéðinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs today received, on behalf of his Nordic colleagues, a report by Thorvald Stoltenberg, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence of Norway

Government of Iceland contributes 150 million ISK to UNICEF

<p>Children are often those that are the most disadvantaged. It is very important to continue to address the acute problems that children are confronted with, even if so many countries are now struggling with the consequence of the global financial crisis.</p> <br> <br>

Newsletter from Washington D.C.

<p>Mr. Hjálmar W. Hannesson is the new Ambassador of Iceland to the United States. Mr. Hannesson presented his credentials to President George W. Bush on January 8, 2009.</p> <br> <br>

Newsletter from London

New Minister for Foreign Affairs

<p>A new Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ossur Skarphedinsson, took office yesterday, replacing Mrs. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir,</p> <p></p>

Political advisor to the Minister

Kristján Guy Burgess has been appointed political advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs

Newsletter from Berlin

Security Prospects in the High North

<p>Important changes are under way in the High North which will have a broad impact on international affairs. The Government of Iceland is organising, jointly with NATO, a seminar in Reykjavík on 29 January 2009 to discuss current and future strategic implications of the developments in the High North.</p>

Iceland's coalition government resigns

<p>Iceland's Prime Minister, Geir H. Haarde, announced today the resignation of the coalition government of the Independence Party and the Social Democratic Alliance.</p>

Iceland's Foreign Minister returns

<p>Doctors in Stockholm confirmed this morning that the minister's brain tumour is benign.</p>

Minister's absence extended

The medical treatment of Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, in Stockholm has been extended

U.S. and Iceland sign a Trade and Investment Cooperation Agreement

The Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East, Christopher S. Wilson, and the acting Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Össur Skarphéðinsson, today signed in Reykjavik a U.S.-Iceland Trade and Investment Cooperation Agreement.

Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians

The situation in Gaza is unacceptable- Statement before the Security Council of the UN

Statement Concerning Legal Proceedings Against UK Authorities

The government of Iceland has decided to examine any and all possibilities of Iceland seeking redress before the European Court of Human Rights for the application by UK authorities of the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 against Landsbanki last year.

Minister's absence due to treatment

Iceland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, will undergo radiation therapy at the Karolinska hospital in Stockholm next week.

Iceland&#39;s Foreign Minister supports IWC appeal of an immediate stop to military action in Gaza

Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, and honorary member of the International Women&#39;s Commission (IWC) for a Just and Sustainable Palestinian-Israeli Peace, encourages attention to the situation in Gaza.

Icelandic Art in Berlin

In January there are several opportunities to see Icelandic art and artists in Berlin in Germany.

Just and peaceful resolution to Israeli-Palestinian conflict essential for peace

Respect for human rights must be reinstated in Zimbabwe

<p>In a joint statement the Nordic Foreign Ministers state that the misrule of Robert Mubabe must come to an end and respect for human rights reinstated in Zimbabwe.</p>

500 gather in London for Icelandic Independence celebration

Over 500 Icelanders and their friends attended a cultural evening celebrating the 90th anniversary of Independence of Iceland on 1 December.

Commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Permanent Representative of Iceland to the United Nations paid a particular tribute to human rights defenders in all regions of the world in a statement Iceland made on behalf of the Nordic Countries.

Minister for Foreign Affaris addresses OSCE's Ministerial Council

Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, attended the OSCE Ministerial Council in Helsinki and held bilateral meetings

Convention on Cluster Munitions Signing Conference

Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland encouraged countries to ratify the Convention and work on getting as many other countries as possible on board as Parties.

Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs signs the international convention banning cluster munitions in Norway

<p></p> <p>Iceland&#39;s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ingibjorg Solrún Gisladottir said that the convention offered new hope for the thousands who are threatened by the existence of cluster munitions</p> <p></p>