MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. Businesses from countries that maintain an unfriendly political stance toward Russia are showing interest in investment and transport opportunities in the Russian Arctic, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said.

"We are already seeing growing interest in the Arctic, not only from our traditional friendly nations but also from states that maintain an unfriendly political stance toward Russia, on the one hand, while actively being interested at the working and business levels in investment and transport opportunities, particularly in the Arctic," he said.

In the long term, investment cooperation in the Arctic could help improve Russia’s relations with a number of East Asian states, Chekunkov noted. "I believe investment cooperation in the Arctic could, in the long term, contribute to the harmonization of our relations with a number of East Asian states, among other things," he said.