... there could be definitional work done on those areas where there is an agreement that arms control still works.
Beijing’s refusal to participate in a trilateral U.S.-Russia-China dialogue stems from the view that China is far below the strategic levels ... ... way” for Russia over a complete bifurcation of the global order in which Russia sides with China.
Russia’s Chairmanship of theArctic Council
The Arctic remains a positive outlier in a receding list of areas where U.S.-Russia engagement is cooperative. ...
... answers, several experts have hinted at the possibility that the permafrost’s melting might have weakened the plant’s infrastructure, as the surface becomes more and more unstable due to global warming. It is worth mentioning that already in 2017, the Arctic Council (a high-level intergovernmental forum of which Russia is part of) published a report that warned about foundations in
permafrost regions
not being able to support the loads they used to. The findings suggested that measures needed to be ...
... Given the increasing presence of extra-regional actors, it is important to consider the approaches adopted by Russia and Canada as the two biggest Arctic powers to developing relations with extra-regional states, and with the observer countries in the Arctic Council in particular.
The Interests of Extra-Regional Actors in the Arctic
There are several reasons why extra-regional actors are interested in the Arctic. First and foremost is climate change in the region, which has an impact on the life and ...
... unexpected solutions or, conversely, any dramatic events prompting a sharp exacerbation in the region. For instance, the President of Finland’s “breakthrough idea” of an “Arctic summit” did not materialize. Finland will continue to chair the Arctic Council until the spring of 2019, and such a summit would sound a powerful chord at the end of the country’s northern “work.” However, Donald Trump’s sceptical attitude to such events, where he would be wary of attempts to talk him into ...
... Stephanie Pezard, Abbie Tingstad, Kristin Van Abel, Scott Stephenson)
Introduction
RAND Report “Maintaining Arctic Cooperation with Russia”
Considering the heated relations between Russia in the West following the Ukraine crisis, members of the Arctic Council keeps relations friendly. This report aims to continue this trend, and advises policy direction for United States which would alleviate the effects of different factors which could spark tension leading to conflict. As a great power and ...
... threat of direct military confrontation in the region, was very insignificant, as all the countries of the Arctic Five (Russia, USA, Canada, Norway, Denmark) were interested in the prioritized development of cooperation. Nevertheless, it was widely recognized ... ... as a catalyst for its emergence.
A series of events
in 2014 was as follows: the annual meeting of the chiefs of staff of the Arctic Council countries was cancelled; the establishment of the Arctic Coast Guard Forum was suspended; and the regular Russian-US-Norwegian ...
... everyday Americans citizens of their country’s “Arctic status”.
In any case, the chairmanship offers the United States a unique opportunity to assert itself as one of the key Arctic players.
Thus as it takes on the chairmanship of the Arctic Council the USA will have to make a strategic choice. It can pursue a policy aimed at maintaining the Arctic’s status as a zone of cooperation, which in turn will require close cooperation with Russia. In this case Washington may act as the leader of a process ...
... these problems? Professor
Vincent F.Gallucci
, director for the Centre for Canadian Arctic studies at the University of Washington in Seattle, Fishery’s science and policy expert shares his views with RIAC.
In April 2015 the chairmanship of the Arctic Council goes to the USA. What are the main difficulties the U.S. is likely to face? How does the USA account for the climate change program in the Arctic region?
The U.S. views climate change as a major problem both in the Arctic and outside it. It is true that the U.S. ...
... Ocean, as last February, the five littoral states agreed on a roadmap for drawing up the final document, although the aggravated Russia-West relationship has put off the practical steps until times improve.
Andrey Zagorsky
The working groups of the Arctic Council have also been quite active on scientific cooperation, the action plan or some other framework for preventing oil spills (in addition to the 2013 accords on the prevention of marine oil pollution), as well as on measures for major cuts ...
... community, which may be problematic if there is a dispute. As Sovcomflot’s Vladimir Mednikov adds, progress will be slow if USA does not take part in international norms or if it takes too long to gauge if its sovereignty is hindered – at the moment ... ... as Stratfor (2013) underline even if there is willingness AC is far from the only organization in the area (e.g. Barents Euro-Arctic Council, the Nordic Council) and will need to prove its merits. That said, not to undermine the AC, as Yelena Nikitina ...
