- STOCKHOLM: Two Nordic nations have criticized Canada for not inviting them to a meeting of Arctic countries, saying the gathering could undermine the work of the broader Arctic Council.
Sweden and Finland regretted Tuesday that they and Iceland were left out of the Arctic Coastal meeting in Quebec. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed similar concerns at the meeting Monday. Only the US, Canada, Russia, Denmark and Norway were invited.
Teo Zetterman, a spokesman for the Swedish Foreign Ministry, said: “We regret that Canada has decided to invite only five of the eight Arctic nations to this meeting.” Arctic nations have competing claims in the region, which is believed to be rich in minerals and petroleum and is opening up for exploration because of climate change.