Foreign minister calls committee after Iceland rejects EU talks

Iceland’s foreign affairs committee will be convened to review the next steps after voters rejected restarting membership negotiations with the European Union, Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir said, according to mbl.is.

Speaking at a government press conference at Harpa, Gunnarsdóttir said it was encouraging to see the public willing to participate in the referendum.

“Yesterday was a major day, first and foremost for democracy in the country,” she said. “Although I would have preferred a different result, we in the government always emphasised, and were honest in our approach, that we would respect the outcome.”

Gunnarsdóttir said turnout of more than 80 per cent represented a significant victory for democracy and that the government would act on the result.

“It is incredibly positive to see that discussion of international affairs, security and defence issues, and relations with other countries has gained momentum,” she said.

She said the European Union itself had not been the objective, but rather a means of promoting greater prosperity and economic stability for all Icelanders.

Gunnarsdóttir said she was pleased that young people had engaged with the issues and sought answers about lasting solutions.

She has requested that the foreign affairs committee be convened tomorrow to review what lies ahead. “The world has changed,” she said, adding that Iceland must continue to fulfil its commitments in international cooperation.