Patrushev: There is no and should be no potential for conflicts in Arctic region

Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council Nikolai Patrushev described the Arctic as “a place for peaceful cooperation” in different areas during an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper on May 18.

“Today, the Arctic is a place for peaceful cooperation in terms of preventing and mitigating the consequences of man-made and environmental accidents and catastrophes, combating illegal fishing for biological resources, ensuring safe navigation in the Northern Sea Route waters, and establishing a network of facilities for a global maritime communications system and the transmission of navigation information”, he said.

Russia’s Arctic zone is a major testing ground for international cooperation in the development of fundamental and applied scientific research concerning the earth’s natural and climatic processes and special aspects of the sustainability of Arctic ecosystems, he said.

“The Arctic zone cannot function in an economically effective manner without state support, so the government is currently creating full-fledged transportation and energy infrastructure as well as a communications system here while also utilizing the potential of dual-purpose military facilities to assist civilian services with meeting the socioeconomic development objectives of these regions in addition to organizing rescue operations”, Patrushev said.