Iceland Could Become EU Member Within 1.5 Years - Foreign Minister

MOSCOW, March 11 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- Iceland could become a member of the European Union within a year and a half, Icelandic Foreign Minister Porgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir said, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.

She told Politico that Iceland could complete negotiations on joining the EU within "a year and a half" and become its 28th member state.

Iceland is a member of the European Economic Area and part of the Schengen Area, so many EU laws already apply within its territory.

The conclusion of negotiations "would be rather a quick process" if Icelanders vote in favour of it in a referendum scheduled for August 29, Porgerdur said.

Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009 amid the financial crisis, but froze negotiations in 2013 after disagreements over fisheries policy and other economic issues.

--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI