Sergey Goncharov, Advisor to the Governor of the Murmansk Region, specially for the ‘Eurasian Dialogue’ magazine
Today, Russia, no longer bound by the past obligations, openly speaks of its readiness to cooperate in the Arctic with all interested players on the principles of equality, decency, respect for the mutual interests and the unique natural, geographical and sociocultural features of the Arctic. In this regard, the format of a self-sufficient, economically and politically powerful organization of the BRICS states is very potential.
Russia, as the current chairman and the only Arctic state of the association, has already begun to formulate a comprehensive Arctic agenda. Among the most famous is the prospect of creating an international BRICS scientific and educational center on the territory of Barentsburg – the Russian Spitsbergen. Unlike the American-Norwegian alternatives, this initiative is a purely peaceful and civilian. It helps to preserve the fragile balance of the region.
It is important that the cooperation in the BRICS format clearly highlights Russia’s status not only as an Arctic, but also an Antarctic power, since many key states of the Southern Hemisphere are interested in the development of ‘Antarctic’ initiatives. An old Chinese proverb says: ‘Be friendly with the distant nations in speech, with the closest ones in deeds.’ This can be applied to our situation as well. Many wonderful Arctic initiatives are ruined by the region’s remoteness from the potential stakeholders and complex logistics. This encourages you to take a more active look at the opportunities that are nearby.
Based on this, the second obvious international track and a possible ‘assembly point’ of progressive forces around the Russian Arctic agenda is undoubtedly the so-called ‘Eurasian integration’ process. This is facilitated by such objective circumstances as the unique experience of the participation of the states and peoples of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union in the development of the Arctic spaces.
This story lasts longer than the existence of some modern states laying claim to a ‘piece of the Arctic pie’. This historical memory is preserved in rich literary, historical and artistic material. For example, the artistic panels of one of the most famous Russian ‘Arctic painters’ Konstantin Korovin won the Gold Medal at the World Exhibition in Paris back in 1900 (Norway, for example, gained the independence from Sweden in 1904). Our competitors do not have these treasures of ‘Arctic culture’.
Obviously, it has an influence on people even today. We should note that the processes of economic cooperation between the states of the post-Soviet space in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation are already underway. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are most actively involved in this, but tens of thousands of people from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and other states already have the so called ‘Arctic competencies’.
Few people say that among them, perhaps the most numerous historically are immigrants from Ukraine: fishermen, navigators, miners, energy workers, scientists, polar aviation pilots, the list could go on for a long time. Let us only note that the main backbone of the miners who developed the coal deposits in Spitsbergen were the representatives of Donbass, which is a well-deserved source of pride for many people of this heroic region.
Summarizing the above, we must say that the international situation in the Arctic, despite the global destructive processes, brings to Russia not only threats and challenges, but also a lot of opportunities to greatly strengthen its political, economic, scientific, technical and transport and logistics potential. The existing groundwork makes it possible to fully ensure peaceful cooperation and successful development of states and peoples involved in Russia’s integration processes both in the Arctic and at the South Pole of the planet.
It is important that the cooperation in the BRICS format clearly highlights Russia’s status not only as an Arctic, but also an Antarctic power, since many key states of the Southern Hemisphere are interested in the development of ‘Antarctic’ initiatives. An old Chinese proverb says: ‘Be friendly with the distant nations in speech, with the closest ones in deeds.’ This can be applied to our situation as well. Many wonderful Arctic initiatives are ruined by the region’s remoteness from the potential stakeholders and complex logistics. This encourages you to take a more active look at the opportunities that are nearby.
Based on this, the second obvious international track and a possible ‘assembly point’ of progressive forces around the Russian Arctic agenda is undoubtedly the so-called ‘Eurasian integration’ process. This is facilitated by such objective circumstances as the unique experience of the participation of the states and peoples of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union in the development of the Arctic spaces.
This story lasts longer than the existence of some modern states laying claim to a ‘piece of the Arctic pie’. This historical memory is preserved in rich literary, historical and artistic material. For example, the artistic panels of one of the most famous Russian ‘Arctic painters’ Konstantin Korovin won the Gold Medal at the World Exhibition in Paris back in 1900 (Norway, for example, gained the independence from Sweden in 1904). Our competitors do not have these treasures of ‘Arctic culture’.
Obviously, it has an influence on people even today. We should note that the processes of economic cooperation between the states of the post-Soviet space in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation are already underway. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are most actively involved in this, but tens of thousands of people from Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and other states already have the so called ‘Arctic competencies’.
Few people say that among them, perhaps the most numerous historically are immigrants from Ukraine: fishermen, navigators, miners, energy workers, scientists, polar aviation pilots, the list could go on for a long time. Let us only note that the main backbone of the miners who developed the coal deposits in Spitsbergen were the representatives of Donbass, which is a well-deserved source of pride for many people of this heroic region.
Summarizing the above, we must say that the international situation in the Arctic, despite the global destructive processes, brings to Russia not only threats and challenges, but also a lot of opportunities to greatly strengthen its political, economic, scientific, technical and transport and logistics potential. The existing groundwork makes it possible to fully ensure peaceful cooperation and successful development of states and peoples involved in Russia’s integration processes both in the Arctic and at the South Pole of the planet.