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Arctic Ocean application work nearing completion

MOSCOW, January 18 (Itar-Tass) - Russia is almost through with finalising its Arctic Ocean application, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

In 2001, acting in accordance with Article 76 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982), Russia submitted a statement to the Commission on the borders of continental shelf concerning its the continental shelf outside the 200 nautical mile zones.

“Russia presumes that according to the Article 77 of the Convention a coastal state’s rights to the continental shelf are not contingent on actual or fictitious occupation of the shelf or direct statement of this,” the Foreign Ministry said.

In 2002 the Commission considered the application and requested additional reasoning. Russia carried out the necessary survey according to the Commission’s recommendations and decided to refer two revised applications concerning the Sea of Okhotsk and the Arctic Ocean. The Sea of Okhotsk application was submitted in 2013 and approved.

“Preparation of the revised Arctic Ocean application is in its final stage,” the Foreign Ministry informed. “Over the last ten years we have carried out extensive research amid harsh conditions of the Arctic to gather vast data confirming Russia’s rights in this area.”

The comment specifies that the research had shown Russia’s continental margin in the Arctic includes the geomorphic and geologic shelf comprising the Lomonosov Ridge, the Podvodnikov Basin and the Mendeleev Ridge.”

“This applies to vast water areas stretching over more than 350 sea miles from the coast of Russia,” the Foreign Ministry said.

“According to clause 10 of Article 76 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and Article 9 of Addendum II to the Convention, filing an application with the Commission and the Commission’s actions do not predetermine continental shelf delimitation between states with opposite or adjacent coasts,” the Foreign Ministry notes.

The gathered data and the Arctic Ocean application were now in consideration in accordance with the Commission’s requirements, the Foreign Ministry said.