Press Release

No.050/96
26. september 1996

Declaration on Arctic military environmental cooperation between Russia, U.S.A and Norway signed today in Bergen, Norway

The Russian, American and Norwegian ministers of defence signed today in Bergen a Declaration on Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation. The Declaration constitutes the framework for the further cooperation between Russia, U.S.A. and Norway to solve environmental problems caused by military activities.

The Norwegian Minister of Defence Mr. Jørgen Kosmo initiated in 1995 a military environmental cooperation in the Arctic region between Russia, U.S.A. and Norway. Since then, three trilateral meetings have been held concerning military environmental cooperation. The Declaration, which is signed today, establishes a framework for the future cooperation to prevent and clean up both radioactive contamination and non-radioactive pollution caused by military activities. The cooperation will be carried out through joint projects to prevent and mitigate environmental impacts of military activities in the Arctic.