Norway wants maritime exploration, cyber security cooperation with Phl

The Department of National Defense on Thursday said Norway is eyeing maritime exploration, energy and fisheries industry cooperation as well as cyber security ties with the Philippines.

In a statement, DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said Norway's Ambassador to the Philippines, Christian Halaas Lyster, made the proposal as the Philippines and Norway are celebrating the 75th anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic relations this year.

Andolong said Lyster met with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro in a courtesy call at the DND headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City earlier this week.

Teodoro and Lyster discussed non-traditional security concerns between their countries.

"Ambassador Lyster proposed exploring maritime, energy, and fisheries industry cooperation with the Philippines," Andolong said.

Lyster also reaffirmed Norway's commitment to the rule of law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.

"Secretary Teodoro, for his part, welcomed Norway's support, noting that it would enable the country to refocus on deterrence, and increase footprint in the West Philippine Sea," Andolong noted.

During the discussion, Teoodoro asserted the country's sovereign rights for resource exploration and exploitation in its exclusive economic zone.

Lyster, on the other hand, pressed the importance of the cyber domain and the seriousness of threats such as fake news, as interconnectivity in information systems dramatically increases.

"To that end, both sides highlighted coordination with like-minded partners, especially in strategic messaging, as an effective means to counter such threats," said Andolong.