Icelandic Foreign Service
Historical background
Iceland regained its independence through the enactment of the Act of Union between Iceland and Denmark on 1 December 1918, whereupon Iceland and Denmark became two independent states with the same monarch. One of the articles of the Act of Union stipulated that Denmark should carry out Iceland's foreign affairs. However, Iceland was in full charge of its foreign policy. Denmark only undertook to implement this policy through its foreign service, as Iceland had no foreign service of its own (Iceland did, however, have an embassy in Copenhagen, which opened in 1920). The Act of Union was expected to be in force for at least 25 years.
The union with Denmark was formally terminated on 16th June 1944 and the Republic of Iceland was inaugurated the next day on 17th June 1944. Iceland's foreign service predates the foundation of the Republic, however. When Denmark was occupied by Germany on 9th April 1940, all communications between Iceland and Denmark were broken off. It was no longer possible for Iceland to communicate with its king and no instructions could be given to the Danish Foreign Minister regarding Icelandic foreign affairs. The following day, the Althingi passed two resolutions: royal power was preliminarily transferred to the cabinet in Reykjavík, and Iceland took full charge of the conduct of its foreign affairs. Accordingly, it may be said that the Iceland's foreign service formally dates from 10th April 1940.
Obligations
The Foreign Ministry's principal obligations include guarding the interests of Iceland in political matters, security, economics and trade and cultural affairs abroad. This includes Iceland's membership of NATO, the defence agreement with the United States, the extension of the fishery limits and the resulting "Cod Wars", the negotiations for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, negotiations on customs duties and free trade, including membership of GATT, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), the free trade agreement with the European Economic Community (now the European Union) and the agreement on the European Economic Area.
Expansion
During the Foreign Service's first year of operation in 1940, a consulate was established in New York, and embassies were opened in London and Stockholm. In all there were four offices abroad, including the embassy in Copenhagen. There were 15 employees abroad and 5 in the Ministry. Considerable changes have occurred during the last 60 years, with regard to the size and scope of the Foreign Service's operations. It now (October 2002) has offices on five continents. It has 20 offices abroad with 118 employees. There are 75 employees in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. If the employees abroad are included, then the Foreign Ministry is the largest of the government ministries. There are 212 consulates in 75 countries and 251 honorary consuls. Iceland has diplomatic relations with 122 countries and has relations with almost 90 international organizations.
Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa,
greets Sigríður Snævarr, first lady Ambassador of Iceland, April 1996
Source: Sigríður Snævarr
