MOSCOW, May 12-RIA Novosti. Russia is forced to take into account the growing potential threats in the Arctic in its military planning, said Nikolai Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, a senior official of the Arctic Council from the Russian Federation.
"We see such signs of increasing military and political tension in the region, an increase in the activity of the contingent of NATO member states, primarily non-Arctic states. We are concerned about this. Naturally, we have to take this into account in our military planning in the Arctic direction, " Korchunov said during a round table organized by the MIA "Russia Today".
According to the Ambassador-at-large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Moscow supports the intensification of military contacts between the countries of the Arctic region to reduce potential risks.
"The risk of an arms race cannot be underestimated. Here it is important to transfer constructive cooperation in the Arctic Council to the military-political sphere. Russia is ready for appropriate multilateral contacts on the military line, which would be aimed at reducing tension, preventing the emergence of conflict situations, misunderstandings, and incorrect assessment of military capabilities," Korchunov said.
The Arctic Council was established in 1996 in accordance with the Ottawa Declaration and is a high-level intergovernmental forum that promotes cooperation in the region, especially in the field of environmental protection. The Council includes Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Iceland, Canada, Norway, Russia, the United States, Finland and Sweden.
