Iceland President: Important to maintain inclusive dialogue on the Arctic

Iceland President: Important to maintain inclusive dialogue on the Arctic

SINGAPORE - It is important to maintain an inclusive and dynamic dialogue on Arctic affairs, Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson said on Thursday.

Delivering the opening address at the Arctic Circle Singapore Forum, he also highlighted the growing global interest in the Arctic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.

Dr Grimsson was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at the forum, which was jointly organised by the Arctic Circle and the Singapore Maritime Institute with support from the Singapore Government.

Both Dr Grimsson and Mr Teo welcomed the growing co-operation between Singapore and Iceland on the Arctic.

Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, also spoke of Singapore's efforts to deepen its understanding of the Arctic and make relevant contributions.

Dr Grimsson will deliver the closing remarks for the forum, which was attended by over 200 speakers and participants, later this evening.

The first Icelandic President to visit Singapore, he is currently here on a three-day State visit from Wednesday to Friday.

Yesterday, he met with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and attended a State banquet hosted by President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

Dr Grimsson and his wife, First Lady Dorrit Moussaieff, also visited the Botanic Gardens earlier in the day, where an orchid was named after them.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.