17.01.2020, Moscow.
Russia is against NATO’s presence in the Arctic, said Acting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaking at his annual round-up news conference on January 17.
There is no reason to increase NATO activity in the Arctic, said Sergey Lavrov, and advocated to resume the meetings between the chiefs of staff in the Arctic Council member countries. According to Lavrov, such meetings are needed to ensure the necessary level of trust.
Currently, the Arctic Council is not excessively ideologized and politicized unlike many other international organizational structures. The Council resolves practical issues related to protecting the nature of the Arctic, the regional studies, and fishing regulations in the Arctic Ocean.
It should be mentioned that the Arctic Council is an international organization of the Arctic countries with the purpose to coordinate cooperation in the Arctic and promote the development in the region. The council consists of eight countries – Russia, USA, Denmark, Iceland, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland.
At the moment, Iceland holds the Chairmanship of the Council. In 2021-2023, Russia will chair the Council.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
