Controversy over Arctic conference

[ensho]

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2010/03/201033033812841804.html


Five Arctic nations have agreed to work more closely to safeguard the region's environment and resolve disputes over territory.

However, the meeting between Canada, Russia, Denmark, Norway and the US was betweenn Canada on Monday was overshadowed by the exclusion of three other countries with Arctic territories and representatives of indigeneous nations.

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, said that Canada should have invited all those with legitimate intersts in the Arctic to the meeting to aid co-operation.

"Significant international discussions on Arctic issues should include those who have legitimate interests in the region," she said.

"And I hope the Arctic will always showcase our ability to work together, not create new divisions."

Clinton said that representatives of various indigenous groups had contacted her to express their unhappiness that they had not been asked to attend the meeting.

Sweden, Iceland and Finland also voiced displeasure at their ommissions.

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Competing claims

There are currently competing claims for territory in the Arctic region which is thought to contain undiscovered oil and gas reserves.

Russia is claiming a vast area across the central Arctic and the US is proposing extending its state of Alaska far to the north, both with claims lodged at the UN.

Canada, Denmark and Norway have also put forward proposals to extend their existing Arctic territory.

Byers said that shipping will become a key issue in the region and is potentially controversial.

-snip-

Climate change in the Arctic is melting ice in the region, opening up waterways and providing access to huge mineral and petroleum wealth.
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so we are going to enlarge the state of Alaska!?