5.Putin rejects battle over Arctic

Putin rejects battle over Arctic

Thu Sep 23, 2010 9:7PM

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Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attends the Arctic forum in Moscow September 23, 2010.

Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin has said he has "no doubt" that Arctic nations can resolve remaining disputes over their boundaries peacefully.

Rejecting talk of an ongoing battle over control of the mineral resources in the Arctic, Putin expressed certainty that the issue of Arctic resources could be solved "in a spirit of partnership," the BBC reported. 

Putin, who was speaking at the International Arctic Forum on Thursday, said, "We can see clearly that most of these frightening scenarios in the Arctic have no real foundation." 

He added, "I am in no doubt whatsoever that the existing problems of the Arctic, including those of the continental shelf, may be resolved in a spirit of partnership, through negotiations, on the basis of existing international legal norms." 

Russia has been claiming control of a vast swathe of extra territory in the Arctic all the way to the North Pole. One forth of the world's untapped energy sources are believed to be located in the Arctic sea floor. Norway, Canada, Denmark and the US are other countries that have also claimed control over the territory, the BBC reported. 

The claims on the region have gained more global attention as an ongoing warming has made Arctic ice to melt, thus making explorations into the area easier. According to the New York Times, warming of the far northern region has been twice as fast as the global average in recent years.