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On April 13, 2016 the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) in collaboration with the Pew Charitable Trusts held a round table discussion “Navigation in the Arctic: Promoting Cooperation and Addressing Challenges.” The event was attended by diplomats, representatives of government agencies, expert community and academic circles of Russia, the United States and Canada.

On April 13, 2016 the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) in collaboration with the Pew Charitable Trusts held a round table discussion “Navigation in the Arctic: Promoting Cooperation and Addressing Challenges.” The event was attended by diplomats, representatives of government agencies, expert community and academic circles of Russia, the United States and Canada.

The discussion was opened by RIAC President Igor Ivanov. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Vladimir Nazarov, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador at Large and Russia’s Senior Delegate to the Arctic Council Vladimir Barbin, and Director of the International Arctic Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts Scott Highleyman. 

At the first session of the round table, the participants discussed the issues of interpretation and application of international legal instruments governing shipping in the Arctic, including the Polar Code, navigation safety problems in the Arctic waters, as well as opportunities for cooperation of the Arctic states in this area.

The discussion at the second session focused on the commercial potential of the Northern Sea Route and the prospects for its development, the specifics of navigation and shipping control in the Northwest Passage, as well as promising areas of scientific and educational cooperation on transport issues in the Arctic.

Discussion at the third session covered the issues of legal regulation of navigation through the Bering Strait, possible areas of cooperation between Russia and the US in the region, as well as impacts of shipping on the fragile ecosystem of the Arctic.

During the discussion, the participants repeatedly noted that cooperation in the Arctic should be free from political differences, and that an effective and safe development of navigation in the Arctic requires a constant exchange of information among the countries of the region and other interested actors, using the Arctic Council framework for it along with other platforms.

Round table “Shipping in the Arctic: Challenges and Opportunities for Cooperation”

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