Chilingarov: No Arctic threat from NATO
Special Presidential Aide on Arctic and Antarctic Affairs Artur Chilingarov says NATO does not have the technical capacities for a major strengthening of its presence in the Arctic.
-Only our country has the unique technology needed for high-level problem solving under extreme Arctic conditions, Mr. Chilingarov said, Izvestia reports. The presidential representative commented on the higher announced NATO focus on the Arctic as well as the report on Nordic defence cooperation, presented recently by former Norwegian foreign minister Thorvald Stoltenberg. Mr. Chilingarov also told journalists that Russia is about to start the development of a major research station at Spitsbergen and that it also is elaborating a federal bill on the Northern Sea Route. He also underlined that Russia is open for cooperation in the Arctic, both within international organizations and in bi-lateral relations with other countries. –For us, the Arctic remains a highly important geopolitical priority, but we are ready for dialogue, both in international organizations and directly [with other countries], he highlighted.
