Papp: USA watch Russia in the Arctic, but continue cooperation
WASHINGTON, eleven Dec - RIA-Novosti. The US are closely watching the activities of Russia in the Arctic, But will continue to interact with her within the Arctic Council (AC), said the US special representative on issues of Arctic Admiral Robert Papp at the hearings in the Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia of the lower house of Congress.
" The steps of Russia (in the Arctic), I cannot interpret. I will leave it to my colleagues from the Department of Defense. But what I occasionally hear on the briefings and open sources - I mean that they are freed up to 4 thousand miles of coast. Activity associated with the construction of new ports on the coast and SPASATEL funds. Some of them have the ability to have a dual purpose (military and civil - approx. Ed.) "- said the Admiral.
anyway, according to him, to continue cooperation with Russia is necessary, despite the cooling of relations and sanctions confrontation due to provisions in Ukraine. He assured the congressmen that Cooperation in the Arctic two countries continues. For example, not so long ago He spoke in Reykjavik with a Russian colleague on the Arctic Arthur Chilingarov and soon plans to visit Moscow.
to clarify the prospects of cross-polar routes (actually are the only the shortest bridge between the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Asia, reducing costs flights of commercial airlines by 25-30% and reducing flights by military aircraft) Admiral did not, calling it too " strategic " issue and recommended to address it to the Pentagon.
the head of Boeing in Russia and the CIS Sergey Kravchenko first reported that the opening cross-polar routes from the perspective of the balance of trade between Russia and the US invisible." But it's trillions of dollars every year saves all the aviation industry, due to Russia's integration into the global aviation system, " said Kravchenko.
cooperation between Russia and the USA in the framework of the Arctic Council has a long history. The organization was founded on September 19, 1996, representing eight countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and USA) and the European Parliament.
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