This week in Sweden, the Arctic Council met - a closed club of countries that claim to solely rule the Arctic Ocean and not let anyone else go there: Russia, USA, Canada, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.
The Arctic Council meets every 2 years. But if earlier it was something like a scientific and bureaucratic get-together, where scientists make plans for new expeditions, and diplomats hone their skills in disputes about clarifying boundaries, now the whole world was waiting for news from the Arctic Council.
Another 14 (!) States wished to join this organization at once. On Wednesday, 6 of them received a "pass" to the North - the Arctic was allowed to be developed by such "authoritative" polar powers as China, India, Japan, Italy, Singapore and South Korea.
True, so far they have the status of observers: you can only listen, strictly follow all decisions of the main members of the council, put forward their initiatives only after the approval of the "oldies". But this is already a lot, experts say. The founders of the council would like to keep their club closed, but try to do this after the statements from China were made that for them the issue of studying the Arctic is key, and “the Northern Sea Route is a global common property and cannot be controlled by individual states.” In the group of newcomers there is a pool of 4 Asian countries - leaders of the world economy. They can climb to the North without asking.
Clever in the cold will not go?
20 - 30 years ago only polar bears and polar explorers were interested in the Arctic. And now on the northern cap of the planet it is crowded and restless. According to UN estimates, oil reserves under the Arctic Ocean floor are almost 2.5 times higher than in all already known fields. There is about the same amount of natural gas here. And also - diamonds, gold, platinum, nickel. And no matter how scientists argue about global warming - whether it is there or not, but over the past ten years, the climate in the Arctic has become milder. The navigation season is increasing. If you sail along the Northern Sea Route, the road, for example, from Shanghai to Hamburg is reduced by 5200 kilometers. And no Somali pirates.
That's all they are trying to stake out previously unnecessary territory. And no one is particularly interested in the opinion of neighbors.
Promotional video:
BTW
sharing the pie
On May 21, 2013 Russia will celebrate Polar Explorer's Day for the first time. On this day in 1937, the first Soviet drifting station "North Pole" began work. It was led by the famous Arctic explorer Ivan Papanin. And the proposal to annually celebrate on May 21 Polar Explorer's Day was voiced on the recent Direct Line with the President of the country. Vladimir Putin supported the idea. Polar Explorer's Day can be considered as their professional holiday not only by the participants of expeditions in the ice, but also by drillers with oilmen, military personnel, sailors - in general, everyone who lives and works in the Far North. We have about 2 million of them.
HOT SPOTS
Everyone swears with everyone
- 1924 Canadians plant their flag on Wrangel Island. The Soviet gunboat Krasny Oktyabr drove them out.
- US statement: "The North Pole is a continuation of Alaska."
- 1933 Denmark won a court against Norway for the right to own Greenland.
- 1947 Finland signed a peace treaty with the USSR and renounced ownership of the Pechenga region, depriving itself of access to the Arctic Ocean.
- 1986. Conflict between the USA and Canada for the right to use the northwest straits near the Canadian coast.
- 1988 On the island of Hans (near Greenland), Danish sailors hoisted the national flag and buried a bottle of Aquavita vodka.
- 2004 Denmark announced claims to the North Pole.
- 2005 Canadian military visited the island of Hans - they took off the Danish flag and hoisted their own. They also buried a bottle of whiskey.
- 2007 The Russian flag was erected at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean at the point of the North Pole.
- 2009 Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden created a joint Northern Combat Group - "Arctic Special Forces".
- 2012 NATO exercises "Cold Response-2012" (20 thousand servicemen) were held off the coast of Norway.
Direct speech
We have enough strength to defend our borders
Artur CHILINGAROV, President of the Association of Polar Explorers, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic, commented on the situation at the northern cap of the planet for KP.
- Artur Nikolaevich, the polar military exercises in Canada have just ended, the same exercises were planned (but canceled due to budget cuts) in the United States, Norway has built a base on the Arctic coast. Are we going to fight?
- We don't need conflicts. In March, we invited members of the Arctic Council to Salekhard for the Arctic - Territory of Dialogue forum. Then we flew to our drifting base "Barneo" at the North Pole, and at the same time visited the frontier post on Franz Josef Land. Our colleagues - I emphasize, colleagues, not rivals - saw that Russia did not leave the Arctic. And we have enough strength to defend our borders. By the way, the military helped us build the Borneo station. Air Force pilots delivered over 100 tons of cargo to the ice. I can say that many forum guests were surprised, and maybe disappointed with our activity.
- Now the Chinese icebreaker "Snow Dragon" is preparing to set off for the third expedition to the North Pole. Also, the PRC announced that their first commercial vessel will pass through the Arctic Ocean this season.
- In Russia there is a law "On the Northern Sea Route" - it clearly states that this is a "national transport highway". The Chinese can only walk on it with our permission. Like the courts of any other states. By the way, freight traffic along this route is growing. In the 2012 season, we have already practically approached the level of transportations of the times of the USSR. Experts predict steady growth. But it is dangerous to sail here without the accompaniment of our icebreakers.
- Two icebreakers, and they will be equipped with heavy weapons, are now laid by Canada.
- Here we overtook everyone. We have 6 nuclear icebreakers. At the shipyards - 2 more. We plan to book another one.
- As far as I know, each member of the Arctic Council has its own opinion about the borders. For example, Denmark wants to take the North Pole at all.
- We need to look for compromises. Everybody wants. But so far the Russian flag has been set on the bottom of the ocean at the North Pole. Next year, we will conduct another expedition to clarify the boundaries of the Russian Arctic shelf. By the end of 2014, we will send an application to the UN.
- Geographically, one third of Russia's territory belongs to the Arctic zone. But only 2 percent of the population lives there. How to develop the Arctic without people?
- The government has already understood that we need the Arctic. Money has been allocated for the restoration of hydrographic and hydrometeorological services - these are new posts and stations. Local authorities in the Arctic regions are themselves interested in the development of the infrastructure of the northern settlements, we are working with them. Also, on our order, a model of an aircraft is now being developed for the conditions of the Far North.
- In Roskosmos they complain that they cannot complete the cosmonaut corps - there are no volunteers. Do polar explorers have enough people?
- Yes, competitions have to be held at the station both to the Arctic and to Antarctica. There are many young scientists.
- How much can you earn in Polar now?
- I won't tell you the exact figures, but at a drifting station - up to 100 thousand rubles a month.
We look forward to continuing …