Human access to the Arctic should be restricted to preserve its fragile ecosystem, a Russian scientist said on Tuesday.
"We should restrict access to the Arctic, whether it is for tourism or drilling," Arkadiy Tishkov of the Russian Academy of Science said. "The Arctic should become a territory with a regulated ecological regime," he continued.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin sought to ease growing concerns about a battle for Arctic territory by saying last week that partnership agreements would settle all border disputes in the region.
He also said Russia would expand its scientific research in the Arctic.
The Russian government intends to establish national parks and reserves in the Arctic. There are also plans to remove the waste that has accumulated there over many decades.
MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti)
