MOSCOW, November 22. /TASS/. Russian Presidential Aide and Chairman of the Russian Maritime Board Nikolay Patrushev and Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev held the first meeting of the State Council’s commission on the protection of Russia’s national interests in the Arctic.
"[We] looked at issues related to analyzing and detecting threats to national security in the Arctic, evaluating the state and prospects of the international (including military-political) situation in the Arctic, and the socio-economic climate in Russia’s Arctic zone," the Maritime Board said.
It was emphasized that "accelerating the economic and infrastructural exploration of the Arctic, preserving Russia's inherent control over its Arctic territory, as well as the shelf and the Northern Sea Route, are among the key priorities of the national maritime policy."
The meeting also led to the drafting of proposals on creating new shipyards and developing technologies for building ice-class cargo ships. The parties emphasized the importance of maintaining the operational capability of present foreign equipment and tools, creating domestic product lines, enhancing the development of domestic technologies for drilling, geological exploration, construction of vessels and shipyards, and Arctic infrastructure.
Special attention was given to scientific and technological potential. "It was suggested to examine the feasibility of creating a technological development program for the Arctic," the board noted. The participants stressed that it is important to conduct fundamental and interdisciplinary applied research related to the northern ecosystem and the organizing of people's lives in such harsh environments.