Elena Kriviakina. Dmitrij Medvedev: “We have been waiting for this Agreement for 40 years!”
2010 09 23
Dmitrij Medvedev and Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg have agreed about the signing of the Agreement on redefining the disputable areas and cooperation in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean in April this year already during the visit of the Russian leader in Oslo. On 15 September the long-awaited agreement has been signed in Murmansk.
- We were moving towards this agreement for 40 years. It’s a long period, but this event shall open a new page in our bilateral relations, - noted Medvedev.
The area of disputable territories covers about 155 – 175 thousand square kilometres. In April this year Russia and Norway have reached understanding that the disputable territory in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean covers two parts of equal value. According to the evaluation of experts, over 20 million tons of hydro-carbon per year may be extracted on the shelf of the Barents Sea, and the total amount of the qualified fuel resources exceeds 7 billion tons.
As approved by Medvedev, the signed Agreement will not hit the fishermen. The mechanism for defining quotas on the fish catch will remain the same as before. Moreover, Russia and Norway will finally be able to start assimilating mineral resources available on the shelf. Before signing the agreement on redefining the sea areas, hands were tied up for both countries. It has been decided that the deposits on the border line will only be mutually exploited by Russia and Norway, as a single entity.
Journalists asked Medvedev what is his opinion concerning the increasing interest of the NATO in the Arctic.
- As to my mind the Arctic could spare the NATO, - answered Medvedev. – Arctic is a part of common hoards, which, strictly speaking, are not related to military tasks.
Material has been prepared by the Centre of Geopolitical Studies with reference to the article from « Комсомольская правда» of 15 09 2010 | 
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