Russia considers the Arctic a space for dialogue and joint solutions to the challenges of the region, said the Ambassador for special assignments of the Ministry of foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Vladimir Barbin in the beginning of the meeting of the Arctic Council, which will be held April 24-25 in the canadian city of Iqaluit.

"We believe the Arctic region for dialogue and collective responses to the challenges that exist there. Besides All These challenges will not have a military dimension, and are associated with breakthrough advances in technology, climate change, the Arctic opens for economic development ", - said the Diplomat.

Barbin told the newspaper that the meeting is expected to take a number of principal documents - for example, " the Framework of cooperation in the field of prevention of pollution of the marine areas of the Arctic oil in total oil and gas activities of shipping. This document proposes the adoption of specific measures in various areas of cooperation: problems of standardization, navigation and communication, the exchange of information and experience in ice conditions. All this aims to protect the occurrence of environmental risks in the Arctic in connection with the early economic development of the region.

The diplomat said that the signing of agreements on the Arctic create obstacles, among other things, disagreements of Russia and other countries of the Arctic Council, in which position on the crisis in Ukraine. But in General, according to him, the cooperation in the framework of the Council " resistant To external challenges ", from 80 projects in the Arctic, none has been cancelled due to the events in Ukraine.

"We may be dissatisfied with the actions of one country or another, But We are pragmatists and Believe that it is more important to strengthen the interaction and not make it hostage to disagreements in other areas. Our cooperation also includes such issues as the environment and improving the quality of life of people living in this region. These areas can't be politicized. Unfortunately, this does not always happen so, " he said.

The diplomat said that currently the company is working on the agreement to strengthen scientific cooperation in the Arctic, it is also expected a number of projects in the field of telecommunications, and the environment.

Test your knowledge about the Arctic

sections: Politics