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Russia concerned over fragmentation of international cooperation in Arctic — diplomat

Nikolay Korchunov pointed to the trend toward politicizing international research cooperation which he said disrupted the well-established communication lines between research and educational institutions in the Arctic region

MOSCOW, November 14. /TASS/. Russia expresses its concern for the fragmentation of international cooperation in the Arctic and the weakening of the role of the Arctic Council, said Nikolay Korchunov, who is the Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-At-Large and Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials of the Arctic Council.

Among other things, "we are concerned over the fragmentation of international cooperation in the Arctic, including the weakening of the Arctic Council as such a key format of multilateral international cooperation," the senior Russian diplomat said at a news conference devoted to the 2nd Youth Arctic Delphic Games.

Korchunov pointed to the trend toward politicizing international research cooperation which he said disrupted the well-established communication lines between research and educational institutions in the Arctic region. Meanwhile, today, "all Arctic and the leading non-Arctic countries, including India and China, acknowledge the importance of preserving the Arctic for peace and sustainable development," he emphasized.

While the Arctic Council has been "running on low gear" of late, increasing the efficiency of this organization will depend mostly on Russia’s partners, he concluded.

The Arctic Council has Canada, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States as its members. In 2021, which marked the 25th anniversary of the organization, Russia took over the rotating presidency from Iceland. Over the two years of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council, about 90 events have been held in 24 Russian localities, including all the nine Russian Arctic regions.