Putin claims part of the North Pole

[CupNoodle]

Putin's Arctic invasion: Russia lays claim to the North Pole - and all its gas, oil, and diamonds.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is making an astonishing bid to grab a vast chunk of the Arctic - so he can tap its vast potential oil, gas and mineral wealth.

His scientists claim an underwater ridge near the North Pole is really part of Russia's continental shelf.

One newspaper printed a map of the "new addition", a triangle five times the size of Britain with twice as much oil as Saudi Arabia.

The dramatic move provoked an international outcry. The U.S. and Canada expressed shock and environment campaigners said it would be a disaster.

Observers say the move is typical of Putin's muscle-flexing as he tries to increase Russian power.

Under current international law, the countries ringing the Arctic - -Russia, Canada, the U.S., Norway, and Denmark (which owns Greenland) - are limited to a 200-mile economic zone around their coasts.

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Link

[ace]

Didn't Russia make a similar claim in 2001 to have it refuted by several countries in 2004?

[CupNoodle]

Didn't Russia make a similar claim in 2001 to have it refuted by several countries in 2004?

Yeah, looks like you're right.

http://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/su ... on_rus.htm

[mrandyk]

We can not let them get power and bring back communism!

[DaMadFiddler]

So THAT'S why Santa Claus dresses in red and distributes his welfare-toys!

[OneThirty8]

Ted Nield, of the Geological Society in London, branded Russia's claim nonsensical.

"The notion that geological structures can somehow dictate ownership is deeply peculiar," he said.

"Anyway, the Lomonosov Ridge is not part of a continental shelf - it is the point at which two ocean floor plates under the Arctic Ocean are spreading apart.

"It extends from Russia across to Canada, which means Canada could use the same argument and say the ridge is part of the Canadian shelf.

"If you take that to its logical conclusion, Canada could claim Russia and the whole of Eurasia as its own."

I'd love to see that! A vast Canadian Empire, ruling half the world and imposing such diabolical things as universal health coverage and the fiction of Matthew Hughes on their subjects! I hope they conquer us next. Even if we don't get the national health coverage, I do love the fiction of Matthew Hughes.

[mrandyk]

Can you realy blame Russia? I mean once everything is said and done who hasnt laid claim on the north pole?

[Hawq]

Can you realy blame Russia? I mean once everything is said and done who hasnt laid claim on the north pole?

I havent, yet

[BlueCrab]

Can you realy blame Russia? I mean once everything is said and done who hasnt laid claim on the north pole?

I havent, yet

I hadn't! Until you all gave me the idea!

The North Pole is MINE!

[mkfreak]

I already claimed the North Pole and all it's natural resources, this is bullshit.