Russian official says global powers will clash over Arctic

A top Russian government official on Friday warned that the race for Arctic energy riches would lead to clashes between global powers and said Russia needed to speed up exploration in the region.

“Our neighbours are engaged in researching technologies to build ice-class vessels and are investing efforts in building drilling platforms for the Arctic,” Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said, quoted by Interfax news agency.

“This leaves no doubt that in the coming years this region will become a place where the global interest of many states will clash,” Ivanov told a meeting of maritime officials in the northern city of Arkhangelsk.

With global warming opening access to the pole, the five Arctic border states — Russia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and the United States — have been caught in a diplomatic tug-of-war over the region, which is believed to have immense undersea oil and gas reserves.

AFP