Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Titov and Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende have met in Oslo, the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

The diplomats discussed the Russian presence on Svalbard, possible ways to overcome a recent decline in bilateral trade, border cooperation and improvements to the legal framework of bilateral relations.

"The sides have expressed interest in promoting cooperation within the framework of the Arctic Council, the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC), the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and the Northern Dimension," the press release says.