MOSCOW, August 8 (RIA Novosti) – The Unites States has expressed interest in working with Russia in Arctic exploration, Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Nikolai Patrushev said in an interview with RIA Novosti Friday.
Patrushev made the statement while commenting on the failure of the United States to send a delegation to the fourth international meeting of the Arctic Council on August 6-7 in Russia’s Naryan-Mar.
“They didn’t explain their absence, but in bilateral communications Americans are expressing interest in cooperation on the Arctic,” Patrushev said.
The Security Council secretary hopes the United States will take part in the next meeting of the Arctic Council, scheduled to be held in Russia’s city of Arkhangelsk in 2015.
The permanent members of the Arctic Council include Russia, the United States, Canada, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
Russia regards Arctic exploration as one of its top priorities. The discovery of large hydrocarbon deposits in the Arctic has sparked international competition to lay claim to the region’s resources.
Last year, Moscow unveiled a strategy aimed at increasing its presence in the Arctic and boosting the region's development by 2020. Experts say it may take Russia five to seven years to ratchet up its Arctic exploration effort to what it was during its golden era in the 1930’s and 1940’s.
In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin said a united system of naval bases for ships and next-generation submarines will be created in the Arctic to defend Russia’s interests in the region. Putin urged the speedy completion of modern navigation infrastructure, communications, technical services and emergency care to be established along the Northern Sea Route – from Russia’s Far East to Murmansk on the Barents Sea.
