IQALUIT (Sputnik) — Russia is ready for cooperation in large-scale projects in the Arctic, Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources Sergey Donskoy said Saturday.
“Russia is opened for cooperation in joint realization of large-sale projects in the Arctic, especially in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation,” Donskoy said, addressing the Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council in Canadian city of Iqaluit.
Moscow considers not only cooperation in the areas of energy and natural resources production but usage of the Northern Sea Route as the shortest route for goods transit between Europe and Asia, the minister added.
Russia supports strict compliance with environmental standards, while implementing economic projects in the Arctic region, Donskoy stressed.
The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum for promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic countries' governments. The forum comprises the eight Arctic nations.
