Finnmark in the World
 Located, as it is, near the Barents Sea, with Russia and the EU as its closest neighbours, Finnmark has a singular position. Seen from a historical perspective the county is situated in an area that is very sensitive indeed, in terms of military importance and political security. Finnmark and the frontier between Finnmark, Finland, Sweden and Russia is, moreover, the main geographic territory for the Sami peoples.
|
Anne Sofie Nielsen
20.11.2006 10:31
With the establishment of the Barents Region, the EEA agreement and with Sweden and Finland's entry into the EU, conditions have changed significantly. Finnmark has had a long-standing commitment in the Arctic region and in bilateral collaboration with the administrations of Murmansk and Archangelsk. Cooperation within the Barents Region and participation in EU's INTERREG programmes has demonstrated that we are able to find good and viable solutions. In a sense, Finnmark runs its own foreign policy, a fact that has gained acceptance from central authorities.
Administration of fish resources has always been a political issue in the Barents Region. We also face challenges regarding environment, nuclear energy security and future petroleum related activities. The indigenous peoples' situation and industries are central in this context.
Once a militarily sensitive area, vital to the super powers for political and security reasons, the northern region has turned into a land of opportunity. Thus regional policies in Finnmark must have a marked international dimension.
|
|