- 18 Nov 2016 00:39
#14738939
In recent years the geopolitical importance of the Arctic has increased significantly. Currently it can rightly be called one of the most attractive areas in the world. Besides the fact that the region has large reserves of natural resources such as gold, diamonds, nonferrous and precious metals, the Arctic holds nearly a quarter of the world's energy reserves. Arctic fuel reserves (gas and oil) are hundreds of billions of tons. According to experts, a significant part of the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free by 2040. It will greatly facilitate the extraction of natural wealth from the bottom and reduce the cost of transportation.
Today the territory of the Arctic is divided between Russia, USA, Canada, Norway and Denmark into five sectors of responsibility. The Russian side claimed the right on the Lomonosov shelf in the early 2000s. But the Russian application was rejected, because the provided information wasn’t convincing. In early 2016 Russia has submitted the UN finalized a proposal for the extension of territories outside of 200-mile economic zone. The results of the Russian expedition of 2007 have formed the basis of this document. During the expedition the structure of the earth's crust in the Arctic regions which are neighboring Eurasia (the Mendeleev ridge, raising the alpha and Lomonosov ridge) was studied. Also the evidence that these regions have connection with the continental shelf of Siberia was gathered. The Russian expedition has confirmed that the Lomonosov ridge is a part of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation.
USA was not obviously pleased. Washington treys to expand its presence in the region. As a result, the US Government organized a scientific expedition to proven the failure of the Russian claims to the continental shelf on the one hand and the appropriation of part of the continental shelf on the other. These are the marine spaces between the port of Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian chain and Nome in Alaska.
The expedition started early in June 2016 on the icebreaker "Healy". Its membership included representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as around 50 scientists, including experts from Canada. According to the statement of the coast guard, such activity is "directly" supports "claims of US natural resources, which lies under the bottom" of the Arctic ocean. Thanks to the modern equipment installed aboard the Healy, the experts were able to carry out surveys of the seabed area of approximately 14 thousand square kilometers and to get the geomorphologic evidence "required to find the foot of the (continental) slope". Research data is necessary to justify the activities of the United States concerning the extension of the continental shelf.
However, Washington is based on the UN Convention on the law of the sea. This international agreement allows States to apply for extension of the continental shelf. Despite this, the U.S. has not acceded to this act and is unlikely to do so in the near future. So, according to the state Department's special representative for the Arctic Admiral Robert Papp, the Convention on the law of the sea should be ratified by the U.S. Senate, however, progress on it is difficult, because of the politicization of the issue.
Despite Washington has the benevolent attitude and says an assurances of friendship and cooperation in the Arctic and that there are no disputes over the territorial jurisdiction of the particular spaces of the seabed in the Arctic between Moscow and Washington, the U.S., of course, use all opportunities and loopholes to implement its goal – to bring the Arctic under its sole control. And Russia in this case is the most dangerous competitor
Today the territory of the Arctic is divided between Russia, USA, Canada, Norway and Denmark into five sectors of responsibility. The Russian side claimed the right on the Lomonosov shelf in the early 2000s. But the Russian application was rejected, because the provided information wasn’t convincing. In early 2016 Russia has submitted the UN finalized a proposal for the extension of territories outside of 200-mile economic zone. The results of the Russian expedition of 2007 have formed the basis of this document. During the expedition the structure of the earth's crust in the Arctic regions which are neighboring Eurasia (the Mendeleev ridge, raising the alpha and Lomonosov ridge) was studied. Also the evidence that these regions have connection with the continental shelf of Siberia was gathered. The Russian expedition has confirmed that the Lomonosov ridge is a part of the continental shelf of the Russian Federation.
USA was not obviously pleased. Washington treys to expand its presence in the region. As a result, the US Government organized a scientific expedition to proven the failure of the Russian claims to the continental shelf on the one hand and the appropriation of part of the continental shelf on the other. These are the marine spaces between the port of Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian chain and Nome in Alaska.
The expedition started early in June 2016 on the icebreaker "Healy". Its membership included representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as around 50 scientists, including experts from Canada. According to the statement of the coast guard, such activity is "directly" supports "claims of US natural resources, which lies under the bottom" of the Arctic ocean. Thanks to the modern equipment installed aboard the Healy, the experts were able to carry out surveys of the seabed area of approximately 14 thousand square kilometers and to get the geomorphologic evidence "required to find the foot of the (continental) slope". Research data is necessary to justify the activities of the United States concerning the extension of the continental shelf.
However, Washington is based on the UN Convention on the law of the sea. This international agreement allows States to apply for extension of the continental shelf. Despite this, the U.S. has not acceded to this act and is unlikely to do so in the near future. So, according to the state Department's special representative for the Arctic Admiral Robert Papp, the Convention on the law of the sea should be ratified by the U.S. Senate, however, progress on it is difficult, because of the politicization of the issue.
Despite Washington has the benevolent attitude and says an assurances of friendship and cooperation in the Arctic and that there are no disputes over the territorial jurisdiction of the particular spaces of the seabed in the Arctic between Moscow and Washington, the U.S., of course, use all opportunities and loopholes to implement its goal – to bring the Arctic under its sole control. And Russia in this case is the most dangerous competitor
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