Alaska Ping.
Posted on 05/06/2019 4:37:17 PM PDT by KC_Lion
ROVANIEMI, Finland (AP) - The Trump administration warned China and Russia on Monday that the U.S. won't stand for aggressive moves in the Arctic region, which is rapidly opening up to development and commerce as temperatures warm and sea ice melts.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a speech in Finland that the U.S. will compete for influence in the Arctic and counter attempts to make it the strategic preserve of any one or two nations. He said the rule of law must prevail for the Arctic to remain peaceful, and he criticized China and Russia for what he said were coercive practices that would destabilize the "high North" if allowed.
Critics were likely to seize on the speech for being short on scientific specifics, not using the phrase "climate change," offering no ideas on mitigating its effects and focusing almost entirely on how to responsibly tap the Arctic in an era of fierce global rivalries.
"The region has become an arena of global power and competition and the eight Arctic states must adapt to this new future," Pompeo said, one day before he participates in a meeting of foreign ministers from the Arctic Council .
....
For the U.S., he said that means boosting America's security and diplomatic presence with new military exercises, icebreakers and expanded Coast Guard operations.
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Pompeo's speech, which ran to 2,400 words, failed to mention "climate change." He spoke of "steady reductions in sea ice" but did not address the cause, focusing instead on the opportunity those reductions present. "Arctic sea lanes could become the 21st century's Suez and Panama Canals," he said.
He called the Arctic "a frontier of opportunity and abundance" with untouched oil and gas reserves, unmined uranium, raw earth minerals, precious metals and gems.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktva.com ...
"We're entering a new age of strategic engagement in the Arctic, complete with new threats to Arctic interests and its real estate," Pompeo said.
Alaska Ping.
Uggh, stupid people chant “Climate Change” (meaning something else).
Our interest is in an open international passageway, and peaceful, fair settlement.
Article keeps complaining they didn’t recite the sacred phrase “climate change” but the issue is not climate change.
There are only 8 countries surrounding the Arctic Ocean and China is not one of them so it should STFU.
Let’s be honest. There is no Chinese activity in Arctic to speak of and you can’t navigate most of it without Russian escorts. That’s coming out of the fact that it is covered by thick ice and only Russia has icebreakers capable to break it.
Agreed. Russia with what 11 (?) maybe 9 now, time zones is going to have a place at the table.
I believe the problem is the ‘northern shipping route’ Russia is pushing as an alternative to the Chinese silk way. I don’t see any legit arguments Pompeo might use to undermine it.
Shipping route I have no problem with.
Claiming all mineral and carbon rights for the region not so fast.
Russia's West-East extent is just as great as the Soviet Union's was - from Kaliningrad (Königsberg) to Vladivostok. It thus still encompasses 11 time zones.
Regards,
Well, it’s good to put them on notice that we are watching. Apart from that?
“” “” Shipping route I have no problem with.
Claiming all mineral and carbon rights for the region not so fast.”” “”
A dog in the manger approach?
Thanks for the mention. I wasn’t sure if they lost a zone or two after the thaw.
United States, Canada, Denmark via Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Russia, who are the other two bordering arctic waters?
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