Putin : The North Pole is technically owned by Russia

[tracy]

We're talking about an economic boon that will last decades. Of course people are going to fight over it. Any (fictional) "oil running out, world in panic" scenario would only make it all the more valuable.

From a more practical standpoint, Russia is grasping at straws. They went from superpower to "not that impressive except for all the nukes." Their GDP is, what, a bit over a trillion dollars per year compared to our 11 trillion? Yet, they still have the pride of a superpower. Just like how if America fell from the top of the world stage, we'd still see ourselves as deserving that status, they too tend to see this as just a setback. Natural resource exploitation seems a good way to bring in money to their economy that could help resurrect their backwards industrial base. It also has geopolitical significance; "take my side or I shut off the taps" makes a nice threat, even when not spoken.

[screener]

I think I heard a long time ago that the magnetic north pole is in Canadian territory. From the looks of it this would be the actual north pole.

Pitbull, where did you get the map from, or do you know how the lines came to be?

[pitbull]

the map came from the link to the article

A UN convention says none can claim jurisdiction over the Arctic seabed because the geological structure does not match the surrounding continental shelves.

But Russian scientists have returned from a six-week mission on a nuclear ice-breaker to claim that the 1,220-mile long underwater Lomonosov Ridge is geologically linked to the Siberian continental platform - and similar in structure.

The region is currently administered by the International Seabed Authority but this is now being challenged by Moscow.

Experts estimate the ridge has ten billion tons of gas and oil deposits and significant sources of diamonds, gold, tin, manganese, nickel, lead and platinum.

A Russian attempt to claim Arctic territory was rejected five years ago, but this time Moscow plans to make a far more serious submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. A British diplomatic source warned

[Andy]

Russia is sending a submarine to explore the ocean floor below the North Pole to support claims to the Arctic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/default.stm

Putin Slams Britain Over "Colonial Thinking"

Oh the irony

[ATom]

A Russia expedition to explore the ocean floor below the North Pole is interrupted as a ship breaks down.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/default.stm

What a shame!

[LMagic007]

I think we need to move past the days where a nation can claim ownership of international territory. Geo-strategically it's too destabilizing. I think all international land / water must stay that way unless the UN deems otherwise.

Originally Posted by LMagic007

I think we need to move past the days where a nation can claim ownership of international territory. Geo-strategically it's too destabilizing. I think all international land / water must stay that way unless the UN deems otherwise.

The UN won't do anything to stop Putin though who just wants as much energy as he can to get Russia back to their old cold war powerbase.

[LMagic007]

Yes its unfortunate in this day and age that man does not seem to evolved much at all, other than technologically.

[hoon]

Two Russian mini-subs have made a test dive to the floor of the Arctic Ocean near Russia's most northerly islands.

The subs reached a depth of 1.3km (0.8 miles) at a point 87km north of the Franz Josef Land archipelago.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6921450.stm

I get the nasty feeling that the international community are just going to let this happen and then complain about if afterwards