REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Sept 30, SPA -- The United States Naval Air Station in Iceland will shut its gates for good onSaturday, ending more than half-century of U.S. militarypresence on this island, the Associated Press reported. Under NATO agreements, the United States has beenresponsible for Iceland's defense since 1951. But in March,U.S. authorities announced they would close the base, westof the island's capital. The two countries announced this week that the U.S. willcontinue to defend Iceland with mobile forces stationed offthe island. A package of bilateral agreements, includingdetails of the handover of land and buildings to Iceland,and plans for security collaboration between the twocountries and NATO, will be signed in coming weeks. «We are a very special case among the NATO nationsbecause we don't have our own defense,» Icelandic PrimeMinister Geir H. Haarde said at a press conference inReykjavik. «We must now really consider defense issuesmuch more than before _ issues that accompany being anindependent nation.»--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/393186