Barney Jopson in Washington and Richard Milne in Oslo Fuente: Financial Times
The US is falling behind in a race for influence in the Arctic as rivals such as Russia and Canada move aggressively to exploit resources while the White House prioritises the environment, viagra 60mg according to Arctic officials and analysts.
President Barack Obama has faced calls to take a more assertive approach to economic development after Russia for the first time identified the protection of its Arctic interests as a military priority.
The calls come as the US prepares in April to take over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council, capsule an eight-country decision-making body where geopolitical rivalries are never far from the surface despite its emphasis on consensus-building.
The importance of the Arctic region is growing as temperatures increase and sea ice melts, opening up shorter shipping routes between Europe and Asia as well as new opportunities for oil and gas exploration.
Heather Conley, Arctic expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said the US was taking a starkly different approach to the Arctic from its neighbours.
“Russia has a full-blown focus on the economic development of energy resources. With Canada it is more nuanced — but they do have a focus on economic development,” she said. Mr Obama’s administration, by contrast, is “placing great emphasis on conservation, protection, stewardship”.
Denmark last year fanned geopolitical tensions by becoming the first country to lay formal claim to the North Pole, putting it on a diplomatic collision course with Russia and Canada, which each claim part of the Arctic above their current borders.
A former senior Nordic diplomat with extensive Arctic knowledge said: “The US has not appeared particularly interested in the Arctic for some time. It is a completely different region compared with when they were last chairman [of the Arctic Council from 1998 to 2000].”
This year the White House has drawn criticism from Alaskan officials by proposing to extend bans on oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and parts of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas as Mr Obama seeks to put environmental protection at the heart of his legacy.
Lisa Murkowski, a Republican senator from Alaska, has accused Mr Obama of launching a “stunning attack on our sovereignty and our ability to develop a strong economy”.
Bob Herron, a Democratic member of the Alaska legislature, told a recent US Senate hearing organised by Ms Murkowski: “We feel it is important to [show] that we are not a snow globe.
“We are not little Eskimos in?.?.?.?an environment that needs no development.”
Admiral Robert Papp, the US state department’s special representative for the Arctic, has acknowledged international doubts over US commitment to the region, but said Washington wanted to put the Arctic Council “on steroids”.
He told the Financial Times that the idea the US was not interested in jobs and economic growth was a “misperception”.
“One of the hallmarks of the US Arctic programme [is] a balance of issues that will protect the environment while enabling sustainable development,” he said.
Asked about a Russian military doctrine that in December highlighted the defence of Arctic interests, Adm Papp said the opening up of the Northeast Passage shipping route above Russia meant it was “legitimate” for Moscow to make sure its ports, airports and rescue services were in good shape.
“Russia is doing those things we would be doing ourselves if there was an increase in traffic above our coast,” he said. “I am not going to say this is something we should not be worried about?.?.?.?we have to evaluate the rhetoric, look at the reality, then come up with a determination on whether we should be concerned or not.”
Adm Papp said the three priorities for the US’s council chairmanship would be addressing climate change, ocean safety and improving economic and living conditions. Arctic oil exploitation would depend in part on improvements in navigation aids to reduce the risk of accidents, he noted.
The Arctic Council has been regarded as one diplomatic arena where US relations with Russia have not been sullied by its aggression in Ukraine. The other seven members of the council are Russia, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Lamenting Alaska’s shortage of infrastructure, such as deepwater ports, Lesil McGuire, a Republican member of the state legislature, told the Senate hearing: “We are the one of the eight that’s the furthest behind.
