Russia submits sovereignty claim to UN: Arctic warming

(Baonghean.vn)- Russia has just submitted to the United Nations a proposal to expand its continental shelf in an area of ​​up to 1.2 million square kilometers in the Arctic. The move could cause the Arctic to gradually "heat up" in the context that this oil and gas-rich region is attracting special attention not only from countries around the Arctic but also from countries that do not border the Arctic.

Russia's nuclear icebreaker Yamal operates in the Arctic Ocean - Photo: Telegraph

A lucrative piece of cake

According to some studies, the Arctic is believed by geologists to contain 30% of the Earth's natural gas reserves and 15% of its oil. Currently, the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway all want sovereignty over the Arctic region, and even countries outside the region such as China, India, Japan, etc. have expressed interest in the Arctic. Currently, coordinating activities in the Arctic is the Arctic Council (AC), which includes 8 countries: Canada, Denmark, the United States, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Russia.

The melting of ice and the development of icebreakers in the Arctic also shorten sea routes because it is possible to go straight through the Arctic without going south. In 2010, only 4 ships carrying 111,000 tons of goods traveled the Arctic route. But by 2012, there were 46 ships traveling this route, carrying 1.26 million tons of goods. Therefore, the Arctic has the potential to become an important sea route, and controlling this sea route will be a huge advantage not only in terms of economy but also in terms of national security and defense.

Currently, in the Arctic region, there are activities of competing for oil, natural gas, minerals and some other natural resources, although secretly but no less fiercely. In particular, the race to compete for the Arctic is taking place strongly between 5 countries directly bordering this region including the US, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Russia.

Russia dominates the “race” in the Arctic

Russia submitted a claim to the Arctic to the United Nations in 2002, but the UN returned it for lack of evidence. In 2007, Russia made a symbolic claim by using a mini-submarine to drop a box containing the Russian flag on the seabed in the Arctic. According to analysts, Russia currently has 25 icebreakers, six of which are nuclear-powered. Fox News even quoted the first US special representative for the Arctic, Admiral Robert Papp - former Commander of the US Coast Guard - as saying that Russia has more than 40 icebreakers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the Arctic a region of "special interest" for Russia and has increased its military presence there. The Russian government also plans to spend more than $4.3 billion to develop the Arctic in the 2015-2020 period. In early 2015, the Russian military conducted large-scale exercises in the Arctic with the participation of 38,000 soldiers, more than 50 surface ships, submarines and 110 aircraft. The Kremlin also said that Russia will strengthen its navy in the Arctic as part of a new military policy. According to Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, the plan will include a new icebreaker fleet. In addition, Lieutenant General Mezentsev, head of the Russian National Defense Management Center, once announced that Moscow will build 13 airports and 10 radar stations in the Arctic region.

The Arctic is getting hotter

With rich natural resources and important national security, Russia is a leading country in research and exploitation in the Arctic region. Russia is the country with the largest sovereignty in the waters surrounding the Arctic because its territory stretches from West to East. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, this new application for the extension of the continental shelf contains more data and is adjusted according to the recommendations of the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. To prove its rights in the above continental shelf area, Russia has used a lot of data collected from long-term scientific research and surveys.

With this submission, Russia wants to claim sovereignty over an area of ​​1.2 million square kilometers of the Arctic continental shelf. This new move by Russia shows that Moscow wants to take the lead in establishing sovereignty in the Arctic. In fact, the most competitive power with Russia in the Arctic, the United States, is "in a weaker position" compared to Russia. Meanwhile, the United States is entangled in many regions of the world and has let Russia dominate the Arctic. The United States recently admitted that it cannot compete with Russia in the Arctic and that Russia is conquering this promising region much more successfully. If we compare the current balance, the United States has an advantage over Russia in the Middle East and in the Asia-Pacific in terms of influence. The Russian Navy also finds it difficult to compare the range of operations with the US Navy in the two major oceans, the Atlantic and the Pacific. Therefore, the Arctic is where Russia can dominate the United States. Expanding its territory in the Arctic would give Russia a major advantage in the global geopolitical race.

The "eagerness" to submit a sovereignty claim to the United Nations also shows Russia's foresight when, in addition to direct competitors in the region, there are also external forces "looking" at the Arctic such as China, India, the European Union, etc. When establishing sovereignty in the Arctic, Russia will be "freer" to compete for influence with the US and other powers in other regions of the world, thereby strengthening its position. With its military strength and potential, Russia is likely to become more assertive in the race for sovereignty in the Arctic. Having territory in the Arctic, Russia will not only increase its abundant oil and gas supply but also strengthen its northern defense line in terms of national security and defense.

However, Russia's path to sovereignty over 1.2 million square kilometers in the Arctic is likely to be difficult. The United Nations will need a lot of time to verify Russia's arguments. Meanwhile, other Arctic-bordering countries such as Denmark, Norway, the United States and Canada will certainly not "sit still" before Russia's new move in the Arctic. On August 5, the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement strongly opposing Russia's sovereignty claim. In addition, the Arctic Council with 8 member countries and more than a dozen observer countries may also have reactions. Therefore, the underground race in the Arctic between the great powers, which has been taking place quietly before, now has a reason to become more intense. While there is no clear demarcation in the Arctic, Russia's move to claim sovereignty may increase the "heat" of the Arctic./.

Nguyen Cao Bien