Russia again cedes its territories - this time in Arctic and already during Medvedev's reign. Heads of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Russian and Norway in presence of the president Medvedev and prime-minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg signed agreement about water boundary delimitation in Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean.
In 1920-s the USSR. Norway, Dania, Canada and the USA agreed to consider water and islands within the limits of polar sector of the state a part of the Russian territory. Thus the country got the biggest sector between Chukotka, Arctic and Kola Peninsula. This triangle with the square of 1,2 million square metres contains about 100 billion tons of oil. However in 1997 Moscow ratified Convention of UNO about maritime law, according to which economic borders за the state are being limited by 200-mile coastal zone, it lost its right for "the Russian triangle".
Arctic shelf is rich with oil, gas and other minerals. Now, when ice melting makes these pools more accessible not only Russia but also Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Dania and the USA are ready to fight for them. As we see they do it successfully.
Two years ago the minister for foreign affairs of RF Sergey Lavrov acting at the session of presidium of government of RF declared that Russia would protect its rights on continental shelf outside the limits of 300-mile zone on the base of international law and results of scientific researches.
However in April of the current year Medvedev during the tour along Scandinavia visited Norway and discussed the problem of marital borders in Barents Sea with its leaders. However, right after that presidential aide Sergey Prikhodko declared that Russia and Norway were not going to sign any agreement yet.
Just half a year after "historical visit" agreement is signed, recessions are made, what we would have in return - not clear. Though, it's clear that such haste in making decision on the question which is 40 years old and which nobody planned to decide just six months ago looks strange. It's a mystery - who and how pressed the president Medvedev. What he said at signing the document is confusedly and lacks common sense.
Signing of the agreement about marital borders of RF and Norway is "very important historical agreement", Medvedev informed.
"We have been preparing agreement for 40 years. It's a big term but this decision will open new page in our mutual relations". - the president of Russia affirms.
According to D.Medvedev, signing of the agreement "will positively influence strengthening of international and regional safety".
The head of the Russian state is also sure that such step will promote "deepening of interaction between Arctic states". Besides, he added, that "the aim of the agreement - demarcate interests, differentiate them".
Making estimation of the agreement, Medvedev stressed that it "looks absolutely worked out".
"It reflects balance of interests in all spheres of cooperation, first of all in energy sector and fishery", - the Russian president explained.
- It vividly recollects me epoch of Gorbachev when actually frightening things took place behind empty and quite idle phrases, - the editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk Anatoly Baranov supposes. - Though there's something from early Yeltsin's epoch when the decrees of the president were signed out of the blue sky. If it's possible to understand position of the president on the question of concessions in Arctic? It's impossible from his words. If the question is worked out? It's hardly possible as the minister for foreign affairs and presidential aide just recently stated right opposite position, It reminds me episode from the film "Ivan Vasilievich Changes Trade: "Ah, Kemskaya volost - yes, you can take it, we don't feel pity about it, we have a lot of land". There was someone there who could elbow "tsar", while here...
