Arctic Council’s Iceland supports China’s bid for observer status

This map from Google Earth shows China’s non-Arctic location in Asia.

Non-Arctic countries continue to line up their support to gain observer status in the Arctic Council.

Iceland agreed to support China’s application to the Arctic Council April 15.

“Iceland reaffirmed its support for China’s application for observer status in the Arctic Council. The Chinese side expressed appreciation for this support,” said a statement issued by the Prime Minister of Iceland, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, and Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, during her official visit to China.

China is among 14 states and organizations, which have applied for observer status, including Japan, the European Union, China, India, Greenpeace and the Association of Oil and Gas Producers.

Created in 1996, the Arctic Council is tasked with promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states.

It now consists of eight member nations with Arctic territories — Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, the Russian Federation and the United States — and six permanent indigenous participants, including the Inuit Circumpolar Council.

The Arctic Council already has six “observers,” including France and Germany, whom council members have decided can contribute to their work.

A decision on who gets in will be made in May just before Sweden hands over the chair of the Arctic Council to Canada at a ministerial meeting in Kiruna in northern Sweden.

China and Iceland agreed to “further enhance their exchange and practical co-operation” on the Arctic issues, marine, geothermal, geo-scientific, environment protection and climate change.