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Posted on 08/03/2007 9:29:05 AM PDT by Contentions
Yesterday, a submersible lowered a titanium Russian flag onto the Arctic seabed, near the North Pole, at a depth of almost 14,000 feet. Canada immediately mocked Moscow’s stunt. “This isn’t the 15th century,” said Ottawa’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Peter MacKay. “You can’t go around the world and just plant flags and say ‘We’re claiming this territory.’ ”
International law permits Russia, Canada, the United States, Denmark, and Norway, the nations with coastlines inside the Arctic Circle, to enforce 200-mile exclusive economic zones north of their shores. The Kremlin, however, claims a bigger zone that includes the seabed under the North Pole. It maintains that the Lomonosov Ridge, which runs under the Pole, forms part of Siberia’s continental shelf. Canada and Denmark maintain competing claims to the same ridge. (Why do so many nations want the Ridge? Because a receding polar cap may someday make drilling for hydrocarbons there feasible.)
(Excerpt) Read more at commentarymagazine.com ...
OK then by that standard the MOON belongs to the U.S. quick lets get EXXON up there to start drilling.
The Kremlin, however, claims a bigger zone that includes the seabed under the North Pole. It maintains that the Lomonosov Ridge, which runs under the Pole, forms part of Siberia’s continental shelf.
What? If it is 14,000 feet down it is not part of a continental shelf.
From Wikipedia: The depth of the shelf also varies, but is generally limited to water shallower than 150 m (490 ft).
True enough. But how's Canada going to contest this 15th-century tactic? What're they going to do, send Dudley Doright on a horse to Moscow and issue a stern warning?
No disrespect for Canada - which is, after all, on the correct side of this issue - but you've got to have some might to back up the right in this world.
Could Canada declare article 51 of the NATO charter here???
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Thank you for the ping.
Keep Dreaming, Russia - petro will be obsolete someday.
Just like the USSR #1, Putin 2nd version will go down the drain, or go up in radiating smoke.
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