- 10 Aug 2017 06:09
#14831769
Arctic expansion of NATO
In connection with the huge reserves of hydrocarbon resources and the increasing role of the factors and conditions underlying political and energy security of the world's leading industrialized countries, the Arctic region is now considered by many states as a strategic region. Industrial development of the Arctic involves intensive exploitation of hydrocarbon resources, development of transport, extraction of biological resources.
In order to protect the unique nature of the northern polar zone in 1996, the Arctic Council was established on the initiative of Finland, which is the main international forum for the management of this region. Today, the Arctic Council includes eight countries - Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway, Denmark (together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Sweden, Finland and Iceland, as well as 15 observer countries.
The chairmanship of the Council and its six expert groups, as well as the physical location of the secretariat, in turn, passes from one member of the council to the other. This measure is intended to strengthen the multilateral participation of council members in its programs.
The Arctic Council for 20 years of existence has become an important platform for discussing the pressing problems of the region. The organization is a high-level intergovernmental forum that facilitates cooperation in this region, especially in the field of environmental protection.
Every year, the foreign ministers of the countries participating in the Сouncil hold joint meetings at which the drafts and reports of the working groups are officially considered, and proposals for specific actions are discussed.
In May 2017, a regular meeting of foreign ministers, diplomats, representatives of indigenous peoples was held, during which a number of pressing problems of the region were discussed.
However, this time, despite the fact that the council does not deal with military and security issues in the region, the focus was rather on military activity in the Arctic and the Baltic region, which is being conducted against the humanitarian initiatives of the Arctic Council of the country - NATO members, strengthening the military presence In the Arctic. It should be recalled that five of the seven Western members of the Arctic Council are members of NATO: the United States, Canada, Iceland, Denmark and Norway. Finland and Sweden - members of the council that are not members of NATO, are increasing the level of cooperation with the alliance.
The definition of the Arctic as a strategically important region for NATO countries has led to the expansion of the Alliance's borders beyond the North Atlantic region. NATO countries are actively developing national Arctic strategies. In recent years, the military infrastructure has been created in the Arctic. The NATO leadership increasingly states that the alliance needs to increase its presence in the northern seas by re-opening on their shores its bases unclaimed after the Cold War.
The Arctic strategy of NATO includes the active participation of the national armed forces in the conduct of military exercises and the accumulation of experience in conducting special operations in the Arctic region. Taking into account the expansion of water areas in the Arctic, it is expected that soldiers should be ready to participate in military operations in the Arctic zone by 2020. Apparently, the Arctic is experiencing an increased military expansion by NATO.
This activity can have serious security implications in the region. At the same time, the involvement of the Arctic in the security problems on the periphery of NATO will further complicate the solution of real problems, which lie mainly in the sphere of the environment. Developing a military strategy in the Arctic, the leadership of the alliance actually displaces various international organizations, such as the Arctic Council and the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.
Thus, there was a need to create a mechanism for building confidence in the region, which would help to protect cooperation and interaction from external problems, which has been going on for the past 20 years. In the Arctic, there are no problems, the solution of which requires the participation of the North Atlantic bloc, and the build-up of tension does not meet the interests of the region.
Unfortunately, the discussion of military aspects is beyond the competence of the Arctic Council, and it delays resolution of conflict situations and leads to the continuation of NATO's aggressive policy in the region. Accordingly, the ongoing negotiations within the Arctic Council do not guarantee the preservation of security in the Arctic and do not reduce the risk of new conflict situations between countries.
In connection with the huge reserves of hydrocarbon resources and the increasing role of the factors and conditions underlying political and energy security of the world's leading industrialized countries, the Arctic region is now considered by many states as a strategic region. Industrial development of the Arctic involves intensive exploitation of hydrocarbon resources, development of transport, extraction of biological resources.
In order to protect the unique nature of the northern polar zone in 1996, the Arctic Council was established on the initiative of Finland, which is the main international forum for the management of this region. Today, the Arctic Council includes eight countries - Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway, Denmark (together with Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Sweden, Finland and Iceland, as well as 15 observer countries.
The chairmanship of the Council and its six expert groups, as well as the physical location of the secretariat, in turn, passes from one member of the council to the other. This measure is intended to strengthen the multilateral participation of council members in its programs.
The Arctic Council for 20 years of existence has become an important platform for discussing the pressing problems of the region. The organization is a high-level intergovernmental forum that facilitates cooperation in this region, especially in the field of environmental protection.
Every year, the foreign ministers of the countries participating in the Сouncil hold joint meetings at which the drafts and reports of the working groups are officially considered, and proposals for specific actions are discussed.
In May 2017, a regular meeting of foreign ministers, diplomats, representatives of indigenous peoples was held, during which a number of pressing problems of the region were discussed.
However, this time, despite the fact that the council does not deal with military and security issues in the region, the focus was rather on military activity in the Arctic and the Baltic region, which is being conducted against the humanitarian initiatives of the Arctic Council of the country - NATO members, strengthening the military presence In the Arctic. It should be recalled that five of the seven Western members of the Arctic Council are members of NATO: the United States, Canada, Iceland, Denmark and Norway. Finland and Sweden - members of the council that are not members of NATO, are increasing the level of cooperation with the alliance.
The definition of the Arctic as a strategically important region for NATO countries has led to the expansion of the Alliance's borders beyond the North Atlantic region. NATO countries are actively developing national Arctic strategies. In recent years, the military infrastructure has been created in the Arctic. The NATO leadership increasingly states that the alliance needs to increase its presence in the northern seas by re-opening on their shores its bases unclaimed after the Cold War.
The Arctic strategy of NATO includes the active participation of the national armed forces in the conduct of military exercises and the accumulation of experience in conducting special operations in the Arctic region. Taking into account the expansion of water areas in the Arctic, it is expected that soldiers should be ready to participate in military operations in the Arctic zone by 2020. Apparently, the Arctic is experiencing an increased military expansion by NATO.
This activity can have serious security implications in the region. At the same time, the involvement of the Arctic in the security problems on the periphery of NATO will further complicate the solution of real problems, which lie mainly in the sphere of the environment. Developing a military strategy in the Arctic, the leadership of the alliance actually displaces various international organizations, such as the Arctic Council and the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.
Thus, there was a need to create a mechanism for building confidence in the region, which would help to protect cooperation and interaction from external problems, which has been going on for the past 20 years. In the Arctic, there are no problems, the solution of which requires the participation of the North Atlantic bloc, and the build-up of tension does not meet the interests of the region.
Unfortunately, the discussion of military aspects is beyond the competence of the Arctic Council, and it delays resolution of conflict situations and leads to the continuation of NATO's aggressive policy in the region. Accordingly, the ongoing negotiations within the Arctic Council do not guarantee the preservation of security in the Arctic and do not reduce the risk of new conflict situations between countries.
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