Russia lays claim to the North Pole

Quote:

Kremlin lays claim to huge chunk of oil-rich North Pole

It is already the world's biggest country, spanning 11 time zones and stretching from Europe to the far east. But yesterday Russia signalled its intention to get even bigger by announcing an audacious plan to annex a vast 460,000 square mile chunk of the frozen and ice-encrusted Arctic.According to Russian scientists, there is new evidence backing Russia's claim that its northern Arctic region is directly linked to the North Pole via an underwater shelf.

Under international law, no country owns the North Pole. Instead, the five surrounding Arctic states, Russia, the US, Canada, Norway and Denmark (via Greenland), are limited to a 200-mile economic zone around their coasts.On Monday, however, a group of Russian geologists returned from a six-week voyage on a nuclear icebreaker. They had travelled to the Lomonosov ridge, an underwater shelf in Russia's remote and inhospitable eastern Arctic Ocean.

According to Russia's media, the geologists returned with the "sensational news" that the Lomonosov ridge was linked to Russian Federation territory, boosting Russia's claim over the oil-and-gas rich triangle. The territory contained 10bn tonnes of gas and oil deposits, the scientists said.
Russia's Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper celebrated the discovery by printing a large map of the North Pole. It showed the new "addition" to Russia - the size of France, Germany and Italy combined - under a white, blue and red Russian flag.

Yesterday, however, some scientists doubted whether Russia's latest Arctic grab stood up to scrutiny.

To extend a zone, a state has to prove that the structure of the continental shelf is similar to the geological structure within its territory. Under the current UN convention on the laws of the sea, no country's shelf extends to the North Pole. Instead, the International Seabed Authority administers the area around the pole as an international area.

"Frankly I think it's a little bit strange," Sergey Priamikov, the international co-operation director of Russia's Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in St Petersburg, told the Guardian. "Canada could make exactly the same claim. The Canadians could say that the Lomonosov ridge is part of the Canadian shelf, which means Russia should in fact belong to Canada, together with the whole of Eurasia."

Mr Priamikov said the area was one of breathtaking natural beauty. It was much drier, colder and quieter than the western Arctic, he added. "I've been there many times. It's an oasis for marine life," he said. Asked whether it would be feasible to drill for oil, he said: "Yes".

The shelf was 200 metres deep and oil and gas would be easy to extract, especially with ice melting because of global warming, he said.

Russia has the world's largest gas reserves. It is the second largest exporter of oil after Saudi Arabia. The Kremlin is keen to secure Russia's long-term hegemony over global energy markets, and to find new sources of fuel.
Russia first made a submission in 2001 to the UN commission on the limits of the continental shelf, seeking to push Russia's maritime borders beyond the existing 200-mile zone. It was rejected.

But the latest scientific findings are likely to prompt Russia to lodge another confident bid - and will alarm the US, which is mired in a 13-year debate over ratification of a UN treaty governing international maritime rights.

The Law of the Sea Treaty is the world's primary means of settling disputes over exploitation rights and navigational routes in international waters. Russia and 152 other countries have ratified it.

But the US has refused, arguing it gives too much power to the UN. If the US does not ratify it, Russia's bid for the Arctic's energy wealth will go unchallenged, proponents believe.

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Anyways, anyone else think that any of the other random countries that border the North Pole could pull a stunt such as this? Anyone see any repercussions from this claim? And when are we going to start seeing rabid Canadians laying claim to the whole of Eurasia?

I'd wager that will happen when Harper can defeat Putin in a 1-on-1 sambo match (read: never).

The United States of America could claim something. Frederick Cook, an American, claimed to have reached the North Pole in 1908. Of course, if he was lying than Robert Peary, also an American, can also claim the same but just a year later.

I agree that the US should have more of a claim to the North Pole. But this whole situation just shows how oil will make people go crazy. Whoever controls the oil controls the world.

"Canada could make exactly the same claim. The Canadians could say that the Lomonosov ridge is part of the Canadian shelf, which means Russia should in fact belong to Canada, together with the whole of Eurasia."

Seriously bringing this up in poli sci in the Fall. "Why don't we own Russia? Some scientist said we do."

Also, the last few comments left are idiotic. Getting there first doesn't make it yours. Or is the Moon American owned, now? Also, I'm willing to bet there were countries who found the north pole before your precious explorers.

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Or is the Moon American owned, now?

They can have the moon when they pry it from my cold dead nazi vampire hands.

Originally Posted by Divest

OMG WHY ISN'T THE FLAG CASTING A SHADOW

Originally Posted by righteousfight

I agree that the US should have more of a claim to the North Pole. But this whole situation just shows how oil will make people go crazy. Whoever controls the oil controls the world.

Once global warming happens and all of those glaciers and shit thaw out, I don't think the US wants to be the guys defending vast stretches of shitacular land that's choked with oil.

I mean, you're an idiot but I think it bears saying, since it's probably the smartest thought I'll have today.

We can't let those damn dirty reds get their hands on Santa! TO WAR, I SAY!

Seriously...couldn't this put a hampering on our drive to find alternate energy if we keep tapping new sources of oil?

Not really. If anything it gives alternatives more opportunity to improve before they have to be used in a transition economy. Coal became the primary source of fuel simply because it became cheaper than wood. The end result will be the same for oil, it's just a matter of playing the waiting game.

Originally Posted by Denicalis

Also, the last few comments left are idiotic. Getting there first doesn't make it yours. Or is the Moon American owned, now? Also, I'm willing to bet there were countries who found the north pole before your precious explorers.

Maybe, but the first recorded incident was an American. I never said America had a valid claim, I just said that America could submit a petition to get a chunk of the action underneath the "WE FOUND IT FIRST DOUCHEBAGS, SO HANDS OFF."

And besides we know we can trust Deni. He's a fucking Canadian. He WANTS lower petrol prices. CONSPIRACY.

My opinion, whoever can get that fucking pipeline down into that shit, gets it. And can fight off everyone else.

Russian claim sounds fair to me.


South Pole.

I want to build stripper poles on opposing ends of the earth.

Dance for me, in the arrid cold, you whores.

And, as we all know, Superman lives in the North Pole, not Santa. Santa isn't real, duh. So, because Clark Kent is from Kansas that automatically makes the North Pole's only resident an American, thus we've already settled and staked claim to it.

It takes far more than dropping a titanium canister to claim a tract of land or a body of water. It all comes down to who has the most real control over the area, which, unfortunately, Canada does not have very much of...for now.

Currently, the area is patrolled by the Canadian Rangers, although, they are only a militia equipped with small arms. Canadian plans includ naval vessels for the north as well as a deep-water port.

Personally, I think that Canada and Russia have, by far, the strongest claims to the north pole, although this is secondary to the real issue: that of the Northwest passage.

Challenges to Canadian legitimacy in the north have been both somewhat well-concieved as well as downright land-grabbing. Attempts to control the Northwest passage by claiming it is outside of Canadian territory can really be defeated just by looking at a map:



While parts of the route lie close to Alaska and Ellismere Island (which the Danes have challenged, but lies within Canadian territory), most of it is undeniably within Canadian waters between Canadian islands.

With Russia becoming more aggressive in world affairs, opefully the US will do the logical thing and back the Canadian claims to the north.

I root for US in this matter! Let´s say it straight: US are the only contemporary world power. Reds cannot compete them in anything.
Results of so called democratic president Putin: 20 independent russian journalist dead, extended censorship.

now: Prohibited casting of BBC russia - as result of longlasting dispute over assassination of Litvinenko in UK.

I have lived 22 years in the country of former SSSR Trust me, commies are really wolfish and very wrongful people