Posted on 08/19/2007 10:21:26 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
The former U.S. ambassador to Canada says that before leaving his position in 2005, he told his officials in the State Department that Washington should re-examine its territorial claims to the main Arctic waterway.
Canada claims the Northwest Passage, but the United States says the waters are international.
Paul Cellucci, in an interview with CTV's Question Period, said he raised the issue with the State Department and mentioned it to his successor in Ottawa, current ambassador David Wilkins.
"I think in the age of terror, it's in our security interest for the Northwest Passage to be part of Canada," Cellucci told co-host Jane Taber.
"That would enable the Canadian Navy to intercept vessels in the Northwest Passage, and make sure they're not trying to bring weapons of mass destruction into North America."
Cellucci's comments come after Prime Minister Stephen Harper's recent trip to the North, where he made a number of announcements aimed at strengthening Canada's territorial claims in the Arctic.
(Excerpt) Read more at ctv.ca ...
Arctic 'always been Russian': Russian scientist
***********************************EXCERPT******************************
Updated Tue. Aug. 7 2007 11:07 PM ET
Associated Press
MOSCOW -- The United States and Canada have scoffed at a submarine expedition that planted a Russian flag on the seabed under the North Pole.
Coming home to a hero's welcome Tuesday, the famous Russian polar scientist who led the risky voyage did not mince words in responding. "I don't give a damn what all these foreign politicians there are saying about this," Artur Chilingarov told a throng of well-wishers.
"If someone doesn't like this, let them go down themselves...and then try to put something there. Russia must win."
"Russia has what it takes to win. The Arctic has always been Russian."
Thursday's dive by two small submarines was partly a scientific expedition. But it could mark the start of a fierce legal scramble for control of the seabed - and what could be vast energy reserves beneath - among nations that border the Arctic, including Russia, the U.S., Canada, Norway and Denmark, through its territory Greenland.
The United States promptly dismissed the Russian move as legally meaningless whether it planted "a metal flag, a rubber flag or a bedsheet."
Canadian Foreign Minister Peter Mackay said the voyage was "just a show" and Russia could not expect to claim territory under the rules of "the 15th century."
But in Russia, the tone of television reports have been triumphant since the submarines planted the titanium flag on the Arctic Ocean floor.
Except when it was Soviet.
The US and Canada should be working TOGETHER on this to keep Russia out, not feuding amongst ourselves.
I guess the victory celebrations for “winning” the Cold War were a tad premature, ay...
Same players, same threats, only now the stakes are higher and the enemies more powerful than ever before.
“Same players, same threats, only now the stakes are higher and the enemies more powerful than ever before”
I’d have a very difficult time finding anyone who believes the Russians are remotely as powerful as they were in the prime of the Soviet Union.
He is absolutely correct, IF Canada had the means to enforce it.
Canada needs to put a Northern naval Port there with a few well armed cruisers and Ice Breakers.
They need to get crackin' or start backin'.
Thank you Canada's liberals, who let Canada's Armed Forces decline over 30 years of liberal fiscal boondoggling in spending their money on "Social Programs" and " Bilingualism." instead of defence.
Now Canada can surrender to the Russians in two languages.
"I think in the age of terror, it's in our security interest for the Northwest Passage to be part of Canada," Cellucci told co-host Jane Taber."That would enable the Canadian Navy to intercept vessels in the Northwest Passage,
That may be all well and good - in the old days. But now the 'Canadian Navy' consist of three Bass Boats, five Kayaks and a Canoe.
(sorry Canada but your leftists killed you while you were alseep. But hey, 'it was for the children'.)
Another US State Dept official who can’t remember who he works for.
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