US military presence in Iceland “formalised”

The US Army left Iceland in 2006.

The US Army left Iceland in 2006. Photo: Þorvaldur Örn Kristmundsson

Iceland signed yesterday a joint declaration on defence matters with the United States – including a “temporary presence of the US Army” in Iceland.

The declaration is an addendum to the deal signed back with the US Government back in 2006 putting an end to permanent US military presence. It states that “the security situation in Europe and the North Atlantic region has changed” since the US Army left.

MORE: US to step up military presence in Iceland?

Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Foreign Minister of Iceland.

Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Foreign Minister of Iceland. Photo: Eggert Jóhannesson

According to Icelandic Foreign Minister Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, this new document formalises a temporary presence of the US Army in Iceland covering air-space surveillance and “anti-submarine warfare”.

MORE: MPs debate US involvement in Iceland

The declaration also lays down “mutual defence commitments” between Iceland and the US and “continued regular meetings and consultation on security and defence matters”.

Among the commitments entered into in this declaration is the acceptance by Iceland of the US Department of Defence’s “plans for the defense of Iceland by military means”.

The full text of the declaration can be found here .

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