The British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said that the UK and Norway have signed a security agreement to protect against undersea threats following last years attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
On Thursday Wallace and his Norwegian counterpart Bjorn Arild Gram signed a statement of intent during a visit to the Maritime Operations Centre on the Northwood military base.
This agreement will bolster the development of capabilities which will help to protect shared interests in the North Sea.
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Wallace said: “Cooperating through the JEF (Joint Expeditionary Force) and the Northern Group with our long-standing defence partner and Nato ally Norway, we are heightening our joint capabilities to protect Western critical national infrastructure on the seabed.
“The attack on the Nord Stream pipeline has determined even closer collaboration across our collective assets to detect and defend against subsea threats and ensure continued North Atlantic security.”
Gram said: “It is important that democracies like the UK and Norway stand together when the rules-based international order is under pressure.
“The sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines last year is a concrete reminder of what is at stake here.
“By working together, we can improve our ability to detect submarines, to counter mine threats and to protect critical infrastructure on the seabed.”
