US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will get firsthand knowledge of Norwegian military capabilities during his visit to Norway this week.
Together with Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide, Ashton Bodo will visit on Thursday and Friday. On Friday, Ashton Carter and Ine Eriksen Søreide will have bilateral talks and visit Joint Headquarters at Reitan and Bodø airbase.
– I look forward to showing Carter a bit of Norway and the Defense. The US is our most important ally, and it is important for us to show Carter how Norway takes responsibility for security in our own neighborhood, and that we are a trustworthy ally, says Defence Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide in advance of the visit.
It is 11 years since an American defense minister visited Norway, but Carter and Søreide have met on numerous occasions. Most recently in Washington last September.
Combat aircraft and north areas
The Norway visit ends Friday afternoon with a joint press conference in Oslo. It is envisaged that the two defense ministers during talks in Bodo will discuss bilateral relations between the United States and Norway. In addition to the security situation in areas adjacent to Norway.
– The political discussions will revolve around the relationship with the United States, if there are things we must do more or less of. It’s about new combat aircraft and Allied training in Norway – simply all the points we work on, says senior adviser Marita Wangberg from the Defense Ministry.
(NTB scanpix / Norway Today)
