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Canadian Premier Travels North to Counter Russia's Arctic Claim

By Michael Heath

Aug. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper set off to the country's north yesterday after Russia planted a flag on the seabed at the North Pole as part of its effort to claim Arctic territory rich in natural resources.

The north is ``a vast storehouse of energy and mineral riches,'' Harper said in a speech yesterday in Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, according to a government transcript. He promised to ``take action to vigorously protect our Arctic sovereignty as international interest in the region increases.''

A Russian mini-submarine descended 4.26 kilometers (2.6 miles) to the Arctic Ocean floor beneath the polar cap on Aug. 2 to carry out scientific tests and plant a Russian flag.

Russia contends the underwater Lomonosov Ridge links Siberia to the Arctic seabed, which may allow the country to extend its territory. The area of the Arctic shelf may hold 10 billion tons of oil equivalent, as well as gold, nickel and diamonds, according to the Russian government.

Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay said after the flag was planted that the Russians are ``fooling'' themselves if they believe they can simply lay claim to the Arctic.

``You can't go around the world these days, dropping a flag somewhere,'' he said. ``This isn't the 14th or 15th century.''

President Vladimir Putin congratulated the team of explorers and its leader, Artur Chilingarov, who is also a pro- Kremlin lawmaker, when they returned to Moscow on Aug. 7.

United Nations

``I am happy that we placed a Russian flag on the ocean floor, where no one has ever been before, and I couldn't care less what some foreigners say,'' Chilingarov said.

Russia's territorial claim still needs to be accepted by international bodies, Putin said.

Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the U.S. have territory within the Arctic Circle. Under the United Nations Law of the Sea convention they have rights to economic zones in the Arctic Ocean within 200 miles of their shores. Denmark's claim is based on its control of Greenland and the country has undertaken its own territorial surveys in the region.

Russia says the Arctic's energy and mineral resources are becoming more accessible because of global warming.

Russia, which ratified the Law of the Sea treaty in 1997, has until the end of this year to prove its claim. Canada has until 2013, Agence France-Presse reported.

``All Canadians need to recognize, there is a convergence of economic, environmental and strategic factors occurring here that will have critical impacts on the future of our country,'' Harper said, according to a transcript on his Web site.

Canadian Premier Travels North to Counter Russia's Arctic Claim  (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=azq0FfbfnT6k&refer=canada)