US Navy commander visited Norway
Multinational presence is important to us and we appreciate that our close allies want to train in Norway, said Minister of Defense Grete Faremo to Commander of the US Navy Admiral Gary Roughead when he visited Norway recently.
The high ranking US officer and the Norwegian minister discussed issues like allied training, the High North, cooperation with the United States and new air-to-sea missiles for Norway’s new F-35 jet fighters, the ministry writes on its web site.
- The High North is a strategic area of high importance, Faremo said. - Our goal is to create security and avoid negative development in the North.
The minister emphasized that there is no “race” towards the Arctic, and that the situation today is stable. But this could change as thaw of the Arctic ice opens up new areas for commercial shipping and search for oil and gas in the area.
- Norway wishes to keep a close dialogue with the countries in the region in order to make sure that the High North remains a stable and safe part of Europe, Faremo said, and added that American troops always are welcome to Norway for training under Arctic conditions.
