OSLO, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden agreed Thursday to begin drafting a common defense agreement to improve their armed forces' cross-border coordination and strengthen NATO's collective defense.
They announced the decision in a joint statement at the end of a two-day ministerial meeting of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) in Oslo. The ministers said the proposed Nordic Defence Cooperation Agreement would provide a legal framework for closer military cooperation and that the work would be in line with NATO's efforts.
Norwegian Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik said the five countries would consider removing practical obstacles and adapting laws and regulations to help their forces operate more smoothly across national borders.
The defense ministers also met with Nordic officials responsible for emergency preparedness and civil defense to discuss closer cooperation between civilian authorities and the military.
Established in 2009, NORDEFCO has deepened cooperation among the five countries in areas including joint operations and military procurement. All five are now NATO members, following Finland's accession in 2023 and Sweden's in 2024. ■