Russia will not challenge Norway in Svalbard waters
The fishery cooperation with Norway is the best Russia has with any country within this field, Head of the Russian State Committee of Fisheries, Andrey Krainy said when he met his Norwegian counterpart, Helga Pedersen in Oslo today
According to Ms. Pedersen, the powerful Russian official confirmed that Russia will not challenge Norway in the waters outside the Svalbard archipelago. The recent Russian decision to send two fishery inspection vessels to the Svalbard waters spurred uncertainty in Norway, which claims sovereignty in the Svalbard zone. -I was told that Russia will not challenge Norwegian jurisdiction in the Svalbard zone. It Norways right and obligation to secure its rights, the minister said after the meeting with Mr. Krainy, NRK reports with reference to the Norwegian News Agency (NTB). Both parts stressed that cooperation between the two countries is better than ever before. -The fight against illegal fishing will continue, Ms. Pedersen said. This is not only about grey fishing, it is also about black money, Mr. Krainy added. Norway and Russia have cooperated about the management of fishery resources in the Barents Sea since the mid-1970s.
