BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The United States has endorsed the outcome of Iceland's 29 Referendum on whether to resume EU accession negotiations.
In the crucial Referendum held on Saturday, 52.8 percent voted against restarting accession talks while the rest of the voters said 'Yes.'
In a statement issued after the referendum, the U.S. State Department said it respects 'the sovereign decision of the people of Iceland and express confidence in Iceland's continuing trajectory as a strong and valuable NATO ally and close partner of the United States and Europe'. 'We look forward to strengthening our partnership with Iceland on all fronts including security, energy, innovation, and economic and cultural ties, to further advance our shared vision of peace and prosperity,' it added.
The referendum, which asked around 265,000 eligible voters if the Nordic island nation should resume negotiations on joining the 27-nation bloc, recorded a turnout of 82.5 percent.
Iceland's influential fishing industry was against EU accession over concerns that it will open its waters to the European Union's common fisheries policy.
Iceland is already part of the European Economic Area and the travel-free Schengen zone, and is allowed access to the EU's single market.
An EU membership would bring the country into the customs union and eventually the Eurozone currency union. Adopting the euro could provide greater monetary stability than Iceland's volatile krona, says those who argue in favor of EU accession.
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