Iceland has supported India's candidature for the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council saying it was obvious that India should have a place in an expanded Security Council.
The assurance was given by visiting Iceland President OlafurRagnar Grimsson during his meeting with Prime Minister Atal BihariVajpayee on Monday.
Briefing reporters on the ongoing visit of the Iceland Presidentan External Affairs Ministry spokesman Tuesday said the twocountries also agreed to evolve a mechanism for regular ForeignOffice consultations and work together for UN Security Council reforms.
The spokesman said Iceland also offered its cooperation in thearea of ocean resources. The Iceland delegation also had aninteraction with the leaders of Confederation of Indian Industryand evinced interest in information technology and fisheries. A memorandum of understanding was also signed with the CII.
Grimsson also invited President K R Narayananto visit Iceland. A similar invitation was also extended to ExternalAffairs Minister Jaswant Singh.
Grimsson also identified film making, music, design,biotechnology and pharmaceuticals as other key sectors for forgingpartnerships between the two countries.
''The size of a country was no longer a determinant forcooperation and knowledge was today thriving individual initiativefor industrial growth and cooperation with other countries,'' he said.
He also called for increasing the level of bilateral trade,through enhanced people-to-people contact.
Halldor Asgrimsson, the Icelandic minister for foreign affairssaid fishing industry-technology had been very successfullydeployed to achieve high, sustainable levels of yields in fishing.Iceland had rich experience in ''harvesting the sea'' throughtechnology and innovation which had led to spinoffs in relatedareas.
The country had leading manufacturers of high-tech processingequipment in the food industry and in fishing net technology. Heoffered his country's knowledge and expertise in this areas to theIndian fishing industry.
UNI
