Here is a little history on Arctic politics. From Ship News Clippings. Its a really cool email newleter. If you want to know about shipping, this is the place! Who is seeking what Russia submitted its initial claim to the North Pole, and 7,40,000 sq km of surrounding territory, to the UN in 2001. On November 27, 2006, Norway became the second and only other Arctic nation besides Russia to submit an extended continental shelf claim. In December 2013, Canada said it would claim the North Pole, around 800 km north of Alert, Nunavut, the country’s — and the world’s — northernmost settlement, provoking threats of military deployment by Moscow. Geographically, Denmark is not within the Arctic region. However, because of its territory, Greenland, and its province, the Faroe Islands, its potential claims to the Arctic extend from Greenland up to the North Pole, via the potentially oil-rich Lomonosov Ridge. Since international law only allows countries to extend their territory 200 km offshore, the claims are based on some creative interpretations of where the land masses end. All argue that mountain ranges that criss-cross the floor of the Arctic Ocean are extensions of their own continental shelves. It is up to the UN to adjudicate. Who’s gone farthest On August 2, 2007, two Russian submersible vessels descended to the Arctic seabed beneath the North Pole, in first- ever such exercise, and placed a Russian flag there. The primary mission of Russia’s icebreakers has been to ensure year-round navigability of the Northern Sea Route, which is used to deliver oil and gas equipment to Siberia and extract raw materials. The first such icebreaker was built at a Leningrad shipyard in 1959. China is round the corner Beijing wants the Arctic to be internationalised like the Antarctic. Since being admitted to the Arctic Council, it has invested heavily in polar research and launched initiatives with Russia, Sweden, Finland and Iceland to expand trade and investment. China is already operating in Greenland, while China National Petroleum Corporation has signed deals with Russia’s Rosneft to explore oil and gas fields in the Arctic. Where does India stand It held its first Arctic expedition in 2007 and established its own scientific research station at Ny-Alesund, Spitzbergen. India is planning to acquire an icebreaker for scientific and business expeditions. Source: Indian Express Distribution : daily to 28550+ active addresses 18-02-2014 Page 6
Posted on: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 01:15:16 +0000
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