Circumpolar Musings: Barents region

World’s largest shopping mall north of the Arctic Circle

Amanda Graham — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:58:53 GMT

(Trude Pettersen/BarentsObserver, 4 December 2012) -- Shopping has flourished in Murmansk in course of the last ten years. The town has several large shopping centers, the largest for the time being is “Forum” with its 22.000 m² and four floors of shops, restaurants and cinemas. The new mall will be located in the center of Murmansk next to the O’key supermarket, which opened in 2008 and has become a huge success among Murmansk citizens. The mall will have three floors with chain shops like “Zara”, “H&M”, “Pull&Bear”, a cinema with nine screens (two of them IMAX), a food court and a large playground, B-port writes. The mall is being built by the investment company “Dorinda Invest”, a company specializing in building malls all over Russia. Update: People from Tromsø have called and reminded the BarentsObserver that the Jekta shopping mall in Tromsø is also 65,000 m². So the two towns will be competing in having "the world's largest shopping mall north of the Arctic Circle."

The "Murmansk" is almost gone

Amanda Graham — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 23:31:12 GMT

(Trude Pettersen/Barents Observer, 11 October 2012) -- The wreck of the Soviet cruiser Murmansk will be completely gone by November. 14,000 tons of scrap metal have been removed in the unique operation on the coast of Finnmark. AF Decom, the company that won the NOK 328 million (€44.5 million) tender to remove the wreck, reports that the removal is going very smoothly after managing to resolve earlier problems with leakages in the jetties that have been built around the wreck. “There are still some parts left in the ground, but everything will be removed by the middle of November, before the winter storms set in,” AF Decom Director Eirik Wraal says to NRK. The sea bottom around the wreck has been drained using jetties and the vessel has been cut into pieces and removed. The whole operation is being filmed for a future documentary and you can watch the removal operation on-line here. The 211-meters-long cruiser ended its days in Sørøya in the rocks outside Sørvær on the coast of Finnmark in December 1994. The cruiser was being tugged southwards for scrapping when it tore away during a storm and has since been to a lot of nuisance to the local population. A decision to remove the wreck was made in August 2008, after debris from the cruiser delivered for recycling revealed that there were traces of a radioactive source, PCB and brominated flame retardants in the vessel.

Challenging coexistence in the north

Amanda Graham — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 23:38:30 GMT

(Anja Kristine Salo/Indigenous Peoples in the Barents Euro-Arctic Region, 09 October 2012) -- 130 representatives from the government, indigenous peoples and business met in Tromsø on September 10 to discuss extractive industries in the Barents Region, an area where indigenous peoples have lived their traditional life for centuries. "It is huge uncertainty connected to what's happening up north. The indigenous peoples' opinions are not taken into account as often as we would have wanted. This is a great problem," says the President of the Norwegian Sami Parliament, Mr. Egil Olli. He is one of the participants at the seminar arranged by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry and the Working group of Indigenous Peoples in the Barents Region. Scientists, representatives from the mining industry, local, regional and national government officials were also present at the seminar. Many sensitive, difficult and important question and challenges facing member states, indigenous peoples and business entities in the Barents region were addressed at the seminar. "We face a great risk of evolving conflicts between states, indigenous peoples and other stakeholders in this bonanza of oil, natural gas, minerals and plentiful waters in the Arctic. The indigenous peoples in the Arctic have to find the equilibrium in this boom and tackle these challenges, hopefully in co-operation with the national states, business entities, UN and other, regional and international bodies," says Lars Anders Baer, Chairman of the Working group of Indigenous peoples in the Barents Region. The State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that the indigenous peoples must be consulted.

Beijing sends icebreaker to Barents

Amanda Graham — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:53:30 GMT

(Thomas Nilsen/Barents Observer, 13 March 2012) -- China is eyeing the Arctic and increases its presence by announcing a research expedition all along the north coast of Siberia towards the Barents Sea. The icebreaker "Xue Long" sails for the mission in July and Beijing hopes the huge icebreaker will reach the Barents Sea before returning in September. “If the expedition goes according to the plan it will also be the first time for a Chinese icebreaker to reach the Barents Sea,” says Liu Cigui, director of China’s State Oceanic Administration to the news agency Xinhua, reports RIA Novosti. Scientists aboard will carry out oceanic, atmospheric, sea-ice and marine life research along the Northern Sea Route. The icebreaker has earlier sailed the Northwest Passage and done research in the Arctic waters outside the coast of Alaska and Canada. Chinese researchers have earlier criticized the Arctic coastal states for excluding other nations in the north. Last autumn, BarentsObserver quoted an article published in Beijing Review stating “It is unimaginable that non-Arctic states will remain users of Arctic shipping routes and consumers of Arctic energy without playing a role in the decision-making process.” In addition to sending the icebreaker "Xue Long" (Snow Dragon) along the north coast of Siberia towards the Barents Sea, Beijing will also send Arctic researchers to the Yellow River Station on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

Tenders opened for the Arctic cable

Amanda Graham — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:54:07 GMT

(Barents Nova, 23 January 2012) -- Supply tenders are announced for the Russian Optical Trans Arctic Submarine Cable System (ROTACS) telecommunication project intended to connect Europe and Asia via Murmansk. ROTACS will connect Europe and Asia via the shortest possible geographical route across the Arctic, opening a new chapter in the history of global submarine telecommunications, says Polarnet, the project operator. At the first stage of the project implementation, 6 fibre pairs of an undersea 17,000 km-long cable system will link England, Japan, China and Russia through cable stations in the cities of Bude (England), Tokyo (Japan), and Russia's Murmansk, Vladivostok, and Anadyr. The estimated cost of this phase will be $860 million. At the second stage, for the price of $500 million there will be installed cable branches to connect the undersea-based trunk line with Russian telecom providers based on the shore. Stage 3 will need other $500 million to install an onshore line closing the circle of cables through the central part of Russia. The last stage will be backed up by Rosneft. Overall costs come up to $2 billion. ROTACS is the first system to be built along the trans-Arctic geographic route. In mid-October 2011, the Russian Governmental Commission for Federal Communications and Information Technology granted its approval of the project. The ROTACS project will start in Q2 this year and is optimistically scheduled to finish in 2014. Meanwhile, a Canadian Arctic Fibre Inc., is developing a 15,600 km submarine cable which is to provide a low latency route between Northern China and Japan to Northern Europe through Canada 's North West Passage.

Three environmental hot spots are off the list - only 39 to go

Amanda Graham — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:03:20 GMT

(Barents Observer, 14 November 2011) -- At a recent meeting in Umeå, Sweden, the Ministers of Environment of the Barents member countries could cross out three of a total of 42 official “hot spots” in the Barents Region. The Barents region has three environmental hot spots less to worry about. Those are 2,3 tons of DDT in Karelia, 40 tons of obsolete pesticides in Arkhangelsk, and mercury containing wastes in Murmansk. In spite of the fact that these three are definitely some of the "easier" hot spots, this is regarded as significant step forward since the time line for finding solutions to the majority of the 42 hot spots will be exceeded. According to a ministerial agreement in 2003, the intention was that this should take no longer than 10 years. In practical terms this means that many of the more severe hot spots are still far from being taken off the list. That is doubtlessly the case of the most intensively debated by them all: Pechenga-Nickel, a press release from the Working Group on Environment reads. The process is complicated due to the diversification of contamination, sometimes to the lack of ownership as hot spots go back to Soviet times, and sometimes to the huge economic interests - such as in the Pechenga-Nickel case. In this light, the three solved hot spots are important regardless of their "easiness" as detailed procedures have been established for how to meet the requirement before any hot spot can be taken off the list. The driving force has for the last two years been the Swedish Ministry of Environment and Authority of Nature Protection in close cooperation with NEFCO and the Russian Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

Ecologists say too early to estimate impact of Barents Sea oil slick

Amanda Graham — Thu, 19 May 2011 21:46:27 GMT

(RIA Novosti, 12 May 2011) -- Ecologists have warned that it is too soon to judge what environmental impact an oil slick in the Barents Sea has had. The oil spilled into the sea in the Kandalaksha Bay, off the northern Russian port city of Murmansk, after melt water carried oil from beneath the soil offshore on May 7. Officials say the oil is up to 5 millimeters thick in places. An area of the sea covering 210,000 square meters is polluted, the latest satellite data indicates. Scientists say it is too soon to gauge the full extent of the incident. "It is still hard to assess the consequences of the oil slick for animals and birds of the Kandalaksha wildlife park," Ivetta Tatarenkova, a scientist at the park, which is situated on the coast, told RIA Novosti on Wednesday. "The spill may pose a threat to eider ducks," she said. "The invertebrates - mussels, small crustaceans and others - may also suffer at the hands of the spill," she added. Efforts are underway to clean up the slick.

Swedish Minister for Trade to attend opening of Parliamentary Barents Conference in Luleå

Amanda Graham — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:40:52 GMT

(Sweden Ministry for Trade press release, 17 May 2011) -- The Swedish Riksdag, with the Speaker acting as host, has announced that the Fifth Parliamentary Barents Conference will be held in Luleå on 19-20 May. Environmentally sustainable economic growth, industry and trade, and also infrastructure, are on the agenda. About one hundred parliamentarians from Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden will attend the conference. Minister for Trade Ewa Björling will give the opening address as representative of the Swedish Chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council. The event is intended for members of national parliaments and representatives of counties and regions within the Barents region, as well as indigenous peoples' organisations and relevant organisations connected to the parliamentarians and governments. Sweden is organising the conference in its capacity as Chair of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in 2009-2011. The previous conference - the Fourth Parliamentary Barents Conference - was held in Syktyvkar, Russia, in 2009 by the Russian State Duma.

Oil majors look to Barents Sea for the future

Amanda Graham — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 21:35:35 GMT

(Pierre-Henry Deshayes/AFP via Yahoo! News, 24 April 2011) -- OSLO (AFP) – The oil and gas majors are looking to the promise of the Barents Sea, attracted by Norway's political stability against a backdrop of unrest in the Middle East and falling North Sea output. Of 24 offshore oil and gas production licenses Norway awarded on April 15, half were in the Barents Sea in the Arctic, an unprecedented number. "There is unprecedented interest in our northernmost seas," Norway's Petroleum and Energy Minister Ola Borten Moe said of the licensing round, adding "the present level of activity in the Barents Sea is high and increasing." Since peaking in 2001 at round three million barrels per day, Norway's oil ouput has declined steadily to around two mbpd currently. With reserves in the North Sea shrinking and major discoveries becoming rarer, Norway has decided to open up its northernmost waters in response to industry pressure and the need to ensure a steady source of income for its generous welfare state. Exploration and development in the Arctic is technologically complex and expensive, with companies having to come with extremely low temperatures, sea ice, long distances from existing infrastructure and total darkness in winter. But soaring oil prices and technological advances have made the region attractive despite the challenges, with the Arctic as a whole perhaps containing 13 percent of the oil and 30 percent of the gas on the planet not yet discovered, according to the US Geological survey. Among the firms awarded licenses earlier this month were Norwegian state-owned giant Statoil, France's GDF Suez, US giant ExxonMobil, Eni of Italy, German RWE Dea and Britain's BG.

Russia to ratify maritime border pact with Norway within month - Lavrov

Amanda Graham — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:14:23 GMT

(RIA Novosti, 7 March 2011) -- KALININGRAD - Russian lower house of parliament, the State Duma, will ratify a maritime border demarcation treaty with Norway within a month, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov said on Monday. Last year Russia and Norway signed a deal to delimit their maritime border in the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean after 40 years of negotiations. Both countries have been disputing the 175,000 square km area since 1970. The absence of defined maritime border often resulted in detentions of fishing vessels in the region. The agreement has also paved the way for the lifting of a 30-year-long moratorium on oil and gas extraction in the previously disputed zone. "We were discussing the vital issue for our states [maritime border demarcation pact]...Norway has ratified the pact. Russia has just started the ratification. We are planning to settle it within a month," Lavrov told a meeting with his Norwegian counterpart, Jonas Gahr Store in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad. Russia, however, is still in a dispute with Canada over the Lomonosov Ridge in the Arctic Ocean, with both countries trying to persuade a UN commission that it is an extension of its own continental shelf. The sides have agreed that scientific evidence should resolve the dispute.

Nikel eco-modernization will cost €120 million

Amanda Graham — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 21:01:55 GMT

(Thomas Nilsen/Barents Observer, 17 February 2011) -- Norilsk-Nickel, the biggest air-polluter in the Barents Region, says the upgrade of smelting facilities in Nikel is assessed to 4,6 billion rubles. Norilsk-Nickel proudly announces the results of its environmental activities for 2010 in a press-release. But, the reduction in emission over the last year is only at the metal-giant’s plants in Norilsk in Siberia. For the plants on the Kola Peninsula, emission cuts are still to come. Like in the 2009, Norilsk-Nickel also this year says the new briquetting lines in Zapolyarny will be launched and consequently emissions of sulphur dioxide will be cut with 95 percent. In a press-release dated September 24, 2009 Norilsk-Nickel said the start-up and adjustment of the first line would start in August 2010. Today, the company says it will be launched in first half of 2011. But, as BarentsObserver previously has reported, the modernization in Zapolyarny will only “move” the emission to the smelter in Nikel, just some few kilometers from the border to Norway. Instead of being emitted from the briquetting process, the contained sulphur will be emitted as SO2 from the smelter in the neighboring town of Nikel. At least until the plant in Nikel gets new technology and cleaning facilities. In January, BarentsObserver reported that a modernization deal for Nikel soon will be signed with the Finnish company Outokumpu. In its press-release today, Norilsk-Nickel says the modernization costs is preliminarily assessed at 4,6 billion rubles (€120 million). The smelters and processing plants in Monchegorsk, also on the Kola Peninsula, is not mentioned in the environmental press statement for 2010.

Nordic Council, EU and Russia meet to tackle development issues in the Arctic and Barents region

Amanda Graham — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:14:50 GMT

(Nordic Council of Ministers, 17 February 2011) -- The Nordic and Baltic countries meet February 22 with Russia and the EU, as well as representatives from the Arctic and Barents regions, to tackle issues such as the pollution of the Baltic Sea, improvement of the Northern Axis transportation corridor linking Europe and Asia, as well as energy policy and other matters of common concern. Politicians from the Nordic and Baltic region as well as the Arctic and Barents area meet with representatives from the Russian Duma and the European Parliament for the second Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum on February 22-23. The Forum will take place in Tromsø, Norway and is hosted by the Norwegian Parliament. Politicians present include representatives of the Saami population and the indigenous peoples of the Arctic region. The Northern Dimension Partnership includes four pillars: environmental issues, health and social issues, transport and culture. Negotiations will take place in all four areas, resulting in policy recommendations for the relevant national governments of all the parties involved. The first Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum was hosted by the European Parliament in 2009. The Forum has been instituted to improve cooperation and development in Northern Europe and the Arctic. More information.

Nordic neighbours celebrate anniversary of partnership in Arkhangelsk

Amanda Graham — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 21:10:34 GMT

(Nordic Council News, 22 November 2010) -- The Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers will be opening the Nordic Week in Archangel on 23 November and visiting Moscow for talks with the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Nordic countries and the Northwest Russian regions are traditional partners due to geography and historical links. This year marks the 15th anniversary of official cooperation between the Nordic Council of Ministers and Northwest Russia. Over a thousand projects in many fields have been implemented and almost one million people have participated in various joint Russian-Nordic initiatives since the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Information Office was set up in St. Petersburg in 1995. The Nordic Council of Ministers Contact Centre was set up in Archangel in 1998. On 23 November Halldór Ásgrímsson, the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, will be opening Nordic Week, which then runs until 26 November.

Parliamentarians discuss future of Barents Cooperation

Amanda Graham — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 04:52:30 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 4 October 2010) -- MURMANSK - Regional politicians from all the four countries in the Barents Region last week assembled to discuss the future of regional cross-border cooperation. The conference, which was organized on the initiative of the Murmansk regional Duma, was held in Murmansk and was attended by representatives from all the countries in the Region. The event focused on the development of regional cooperation in the period 2010-2013. The Barents cooperation has been successfully developing for many years. That is largely thanks to cooperation between regional and national levels. Runar Sjaastad, the Head of Finnmark County Council, pointed out that on the Norwegian side the northern Norwegian county of Finnmark has been a key stakeholder in the cross-border cooperation.

Norway's honorary consulate to Arkhangelsk opened

Amanda Graham — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:57:55 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 17 September 2010) -- Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre see the opening of the honorary consulate in Arkhangelsk as a completion of some of the visions launched with the establishment of the Barents cooperation in 1993. This Friday the honorary consulate in Arkhangelsk was opened. With Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and the Governor of Arkhangelsk Ilya Mikhailchuk present, Norway's honorary consulate to Arkhangelsk was opened on Friday in front of nearly 200 Norwegians and several Arkhangelsk citizens. The officially opening was performed by the Foreign Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre. It is the director of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat’s Arkhangelsk office, Andrey Shalyov, who has been appointed as new honorary consul. It is 72 years since the last Norwegian Consulate in Arkhangelsk was shut down, under tragic circumstances in the late 30ties. Foreign Minister Støre said that since the establishment of the Barents cooperation in 1993, there has been a close cooperation on all levels between Norway and Arkhangelsk. "The opening of this honorary consulate is the completion of the Norwegian presence in all parts of the Barents Region. We can see this as a completion of the visions launched by the establishment of the Barents cooperation in 1993. At the same time we see the need for this office due to the increased activities and the possibilities of development which we see in this region," said Jonas Gahr Støre.

Northern Pomors: living off the sea

Amanda Graham — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 03:19:58 GMT

(Voice of Russia, 21 August 2010) -- A thousand kilometers north of Moscow on the White Sea coast lies an ancient land belonging to a sea-conquering people – the Pomors. The so-called “traditional Pomor way of life” is certainly not just something out of a history book. They still construct wooden boats using old techniques, make their own fish nets and braid the ropes used for those fish nets with their own hands. “This is a karbass, a coastal kind of boat,” explains boat builder Viktor Zamyatin. “It's very stable on seas, rising and falling smoothly with the waves.” In the village of Patrekeevaka the houses are unique, dating back 300 years, and are very well preserved. All of them have a big fireplace which they use not only for cooking and baking. On top of it there is a warm bed – something you cannot do without in during the harsh winter conditions. For the Pomors, adapting to whatever Mother Nature throws at them has become second nature. This resilience is also what has kept their culture alive throughout the centuries. “I have been singing my whole life. My mother still sings. We collect old rituals and songs and revive them,” says local resident Maria Gorobtsova. She is wearing a traditional costume. It is certainly not an everyday outfit, but she says it helps her keep her ties with her people. “This dress belonged to my grandmother. When I put on this dress, I feel very good and have this desire to sing old songs.” A desire she hopes to pass on to her young grandson.

New monitoring system for the Barents region

Amanda Graham — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:46:43 GMT

(Rolleiv Solholm /The Norway Post, 2 July 2010) -- The Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs has been given the responsibility for setting up a new, full-spectrum monitoring and information system for the Northern sea and coastal areas (“BarentsWatch”). The work will be headed up by the Norwegian Coastal Administration (NCA). The Norwegian Mapping Authority, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and many other specialist bodies will be involved in the work. The plan is for BarentsWatch to be developed in several phases, the first of which will involve the creation of a public information portal for the sea areas. The operations centre for the portal will be located in Tromsø. In parallel with the establishment of this open system, a closed, operational system will be developed to combine information from various sources in order to facilitate dealing with special situations. The plan is for this closed system to be linked to the Vessel Traffic Service centre at Vardø. BarentsWatch is envisaged as a vital tool for providing the Norwegian authorities with a coherent picture of what may be happening at any time in the very extensive sea areas in the North. This in turn will serve to strengthen Norway’s role as a responsible manager of the sea areas and thereby safeguard the substantial assets they represent. The Government gave advance notice in its High North Strategy of 2006 that it aimed to develop a full-spectrum monitoring and warning system for the Northern sea areas. This system will provide constant access to quality-assured data on the Northern sea and coastal areas, and ensure clear, up-to-date status information in the event of accidents, for risk evaluation of activities at sea, and for national and international climate, resource and environmental assessments. The system will also be capable of supporting Norwegian foreign policy.

New monitoring system for the Barents region

Amanda Graham — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 16:21:33 GMT

Enhancing the king crab stock is "voodoo and sabotage"

Amanda Graham — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 06:29:20 GMT

(Barents Observer, 9 July 2010) -- Russian scientists have released some 200,000 king crab brood off the coast of the Kola Peninsula. "It can only be described as voodoo and sabotage," says Igor Pakholkov, deputy director of a Murmansk based fishing company. The release of near 200,000 small King Crabs happend earlier this summer from the marine research station at Dalniye Zelentsy east of Murmansk on the coast of the Kola Peninsula. It is the first time Russia release artificially reared king crab brood in such great numbers. The red king crab (or Kamchatka crab) was first introduced to the Barents Sea from Russia’s Far East in the 60-ties. The initiative of scientific institutions to enhance the population of red king crab in the waters of the Barents Sea can only be described as voodoo and sabotage, says Igor Pakholkov in an interview with Regnum. Pakholkov is deputy director and fleet manager of Murmansk fishing company Zolotaya Rybka. The company is a member of the coastal fishery association and focused on coastal Kamchatka crab hunting. The king crab has no natural enemies in the Barents Sea and the stock has increased rapidly since the late 80-ties. In the early 90-ties the king crab started to appear in the fjords of Eastern Finnmark in Norway. Since then, the population has grown immensely. Some estimates say there are more than 20 million in the Barents Sea. Many environmentalists and scientists say the species negatively alters the sea’s natural biodiversity. The consequence of the king crab explosion may be that native species disappear. Igor Pakholkov says the king crab is not a natural inhabitant of the northern seas, and they violate the natural balance in the marine ecosystem. They destroy the traditional fish species, he says. "There is only one way to deal with the king crab, that is, allowing free fishing," Pakholov says in the interview with Regnum.

Historic meeting for Barents region

Amanda Graham — Thu, 20 May 2010 21:34:55 GMT

(Government of Sweden press release, 20 May 2010) -- Representatives of the Barents countries met in Umeå on 18-19 May to discuss raw material and energy assets in the region. Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson invited her counterparts to this meeting, which was the first of its kind within Barents cooperation. The meeting focused on strengthening the region through more effective use of natural resources and the potential for renewable energy. It discussed how to strengthen growth and increase job opportunities in the region, and how to strengthen understanding of the strategic importance of the region, both in the EU and globally. "Having been on the periphery, we are now the centre of attention. The entire world needs raw materials and renewable energy, and this can provide many new jobs in the region. I believe in increased cooperation in the area of knowledge; businesses in the region face the same kinds of issues and challenges. One example is how to make most effective use of our forests," says Ms Olofsson. A declaration was adopted at the meeting, establishing that the region holds very great economic potential and stating that we must move together towards sustainable development. It also highlighted the importance of shaping policy and market conditions so as to stimulate investment, innovation and entrepreneurship towards a green economy. Work will now continue on a more concrete level in the working groups that form part of the cooperation process.

Coastal administration recommends the port of Kirkenes

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:18:50 GMT

(Barents Observer, 27 April 2010) -- In a recently published study, the Norwegian Coastal Administration concludes that the port of Kirkenes is the best choice in eastern Finnmark for base operations for the petroleum industry. The study has evaluated the ports of eastern Finnmark as base ports for offshore operations in the Barents Sea. Important factors which have been evaluated are harbor debt, harbor infrastructure, areas at disposal, road and airport facilities and relevant industry in the area. The study concludes that Kirkenes is the port best suited for such operations in eastern Finnmark. The harbor dept is 30 meters in general, there are large areas which can be used for service purposes and the town has both good airport connections and road infrastructure. "Among the ports studied in this report, only Kirkenes fulfill the demands which are set for a future oil base in eastern Finnmark," the conclusion states. Advisor of the Norwegian Barents Secretariat, Oddgeir Danielsen, says that this report only underlines what has been known by most people working with development of the oil and gas industry in the eastern part of the Barents Sea. "Only Kirkenes has the harbor infrastructure needed for service operations for the petroleum industry. At the same time the location is maybe even more advantageous for Kirkenes. It is the harbor located closest to Russia, the main airport of eastern Finnmark is located here and the road connections to Russia and to the south are also in the benefit of Kirkenes," says Danielsen. Another important factor which gives Kirkenes an advantage compared to other ports, is the scope of the existing local industry. Kirkenes has one out of few ship yards in northern Norway, and can thus provide key competence for service work to the petroleum industry. In addition there is the wide range of mechanical competence within the Sydvaranger mine company, which adds to the industrial capability of the Kirkenes community, says Danielsen.

Norway agrees Barents Sea Arctic border with Russia

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:10:15 GMT

(BBC News, 27 April 2010) -- Russia and Norway have reached agreement on a disputed Arctic border in the Barents Sea. The border, which cuts across an area thought to be rich in oil and gas, has been contested for decades. The territorial dispute meant proven offshore oil and gas deposits had not been exploited. Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was quoted as saying on Tuesday that the two countries now agreed "on all elements". Mr Stoltenberg, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, said the agreement was "good and balanced". "This solution is about more than a border line under the ocean," he said. "It is about developing good neighbour relations." In recent years, several states have launched claims to Arctic territory as climate change and technological developments have increased access to the region.

Expert: Norway-Russian Arctic deal is near

Amanda Graham — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:36:52 GMT

(Stefan Nicola/UPI, 31 March 2010) -- BERLIN - A 40-year-old conflict between Russia and Norway over an Arctic sea boundary will likely be over next month, an expert told United Press International. "I think there will be an agreement announced on the Barents Sea border dispute," when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is in Oslo April 26-27, Rune Rafaelsen, the secretary-general of the Barents Secretariat, a diplomacy group focusing on regional cooperation financed by Norway's foreign ministry, told UPI in a telephone interview. "What's the reason for me to say this? Well, why would Medvedev spend two days in Norway if there was nothing new to announce? Also, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg met (Russian Prime Minister) Vladimir Putin two weeks ago in Helsinki in talks that hadn't been planned. Those are indications that we might have an agreement." Russia and Norway have for the past four decades disagreed over boundaries in the Barents Sea, which is believed to hold vast amounts of oil, gas and precious metals. Relations between both nations are nevertheless strong, with Moscow inviting Norway's StatoilHydro to join Gazprom in tapping the Shtokman fossil fuel deposit in the Barents Sea. Climate change is causing Arctic ice sheets to melt, with the oceans in the region possibly ice-free during the summer months. This is opening a new Atlantic-Pacific shipping channel and makes the vast natural resources lying under the seabed more accessible.

Large NATO exercise starts in Northern Norway

Amanda Graham — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:28:37 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 18 February 2010) -- Near 9,000 soldiers from 14 countries participates when the exercise Cold Response 2010 started in Northern Norway this week. This year is the first time such NATO exercise also includes Swedish territory. The exercise involves land forces, air forces and naval forces. The portal of the Norwegian Armed Forces reports that some 1,000 Special Forces soldiers will participate. Largest part of the activity will be in the northern part of Nordland County and the southern part of Troms County. The exercise Cold Response 2010 is said to be the highest priority for the Norwegian military this year. Cold Response 2010 has some 1,500 more soldiers than the exercise Cold Response 2009. The soldiers are not only from NATO member countries. Swedish soldiers participate and for the first time NATO’s Cold Response exercise includes military activity within Swedish territory. The territory in question is the area from Riksgrensen to Abisko in the municipality of Kiruna. Swedish Sami Radio reports that the Sami reindeer herders in the area are opposing the exercise claiming the military activity happens without first consulting the reindeer herders. Some 1,000 Swedish soldiers participate in Cold Response 2010. Sweden is cooperating with NATO through the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme, but the background for Sweden’s participation in the exercise is the framework agreement for the Nordic Defence Cooperation, according to the portal of the Swedish Armed Forces. United Kingdom participates in the exercise with their largest warship, HMS Ocean. The vessel with its crew of 1.000 persons is operating in the region as part of the UK's Amphibious Task Group, according to the portal of the Royal Navy. Other forces include U.S. Marines, soldiers that see such exercise in Norway’s harsh Arctic winter environment as a realistic combat training opportunity, reports the portal of the US Marines. The last time U.S. Marines participated in such NATO exercise in Northern Norway was in 2005. All soldiers from the 14 participating countries will during the exercise focus on cold weather maritime/amphibious operations, interoperability of expeditionary forces, and special and conventional ground operations. Cold Response 2010 will go on until March 4th. Till now, the such NATO exercise in Northern Norway has been annually, but according to the portal of the Norwegian Armed Forces the larger NATO exercises will from now on be held each second year.

Sami languages disappear

Amanda Graham — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:57:51 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 19 February 2010) -- The world’s smallest language, Ter Sami, is only spoken by two persons. Also, Ume Sami and Pite Sami will not last long. According to Pravda, there are only two people left speaking Ter Sami, a Sami dialect spoken in villages in the eastern part of the Kola Peninsula. In the end of the 19th ventury, there were six Ter Sami villages, with a several hundred inhabitants. Now, there are some 100 ethnic Ter Sami in the area, of whom only two elderly persons speak the original languages. The rest have shifted to Russian. The Sami languages are also challenged in the southern part of the Barents Region. In, Sweden there are only some 10 people who can still speak the Ume Sami, traditionally a Sami language spoken on the course of the Ume River. Also Pite Sami, traditionally spoken on both the Norwegian and Swedish side of the border in the Arjeplog area, is a dying language. According to Wikipedia, there are only some twenty native speakers left and only on the Swedish side of the border. In Finland, a severe lack of teachers could threaten the future of Sami people in the north, YLE News reports this week. A study carried out at the University of Oulu says that an investment is needed in training Sami language teachers and other educators who speak the language. It suggests that teacher training be organized at one of the universities in the north of the country and in Sami-speaking areas. It calls for special attention to be given to the future of the languages spoken by the Inari Sami and the Skolt Sami, YLE News reports.

Critical shortage of Sami language teachers

Amanda Graham — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:04:56 GMT

(YLE, 18 February 2010) -- A severe lack of teachers could threaten the future of the languages of the indigenous Sami people in Finland. The critical nature of the shortage of teachers came to light in a study carried out for the Giellagas Institute at the University of Oulu which surveyed the educational needs in Finland related to Sami language and culture. The Sami are an indigenous people that live traditionally in Finnish Lapland, the Kola peninsula and central and northern parts of Sweden and Norway. About 6,400 Sami live in Finland. The report notes that an investment is needed in training Sami language teachers and other educators who speak the language. It suggests that teacher training be organized at one of the universities in the north of the country and in Sami-speaking areas. It calls for special attention to be given to the future of the languages spoken by the Inari Sami and the Skolt Sami.

Russian Barents population decrease

Amanda Graham — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:10:04 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 5 February 2010) -- The North of Russia is under the threat of depopulation. Since the year 2000 the population in the Russian part of the Barents region decreased by 462,000, or by almost 11 percent. According to the yearly demographic report of the State Statistical Committee the Russian territories of the Barents region in the beginning of 2009 had 31 thousand inhabitants less than one year ago. That is 0.8 percent less than in 2008. In the three-year period from 2006 to 2008 the total population of the Russian Federation decreased by 317,000 people. This is approximately as much as the population of the biggest city in the Barents region; Arkhangelsk. During the ten-year period from 2000 to 2010, the population of the Russian Federation was reduced by almost 5 million citizens, or -3.4 %. At the same time the population in the Russian part of the Barents region declined by 54,000 people from 2006 to 2008, or by 1.4 per cent, according to the 2009 edition of the Demographic Yearbook of Russia. The biggest population decline in the ten-year period since 2000 was observed in Murmansk Oblast (by 10.4 percent), in Komi Republic (by 9.3 percent), and in Arkhangelsk Oblast (by 9.2 percent). The population of Karelia decreased 6.5 percent. One year ago, in the beginning of 2009, the total population of Barents Russia was 3,793,000 people. Today, according to the preliminary data of the State Statistical Committee the population in these five territories decreased again by 24,000. The greatest declines occured in Murmansk oblast and the Republic of Komi.

Gazprom delays Shtokman gas field three years

Amanda Graham — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:41:29 GMT

(Dmitry Zhdannikov/Globe and Mail, 5 February 2010) -- Moscow - Russia has delayed the start of its giant Arctic Shtokman gas field by three years to 2016 after a dip in European demand and a surge in North American shale gas output dampened its export prospects. Russian gas export monopoly OAO Gazprom said in a statement on Friday it had agreed with partners Total SA and Statoil ASA to delay pipeline gas production from Shtokman from 2013 to 2016. Liquefied natural gas output will begin in 2017 instead of the earlier planned 2014. The decision was made due to “changes in the market situation and particularly in the LNG market“. Shtokman, one of the world's largest gas fields, in the stormy Barents Sea, is expected to require $15-billion (U.S.) of investment in its first phase. Gazprom saw a slump in exports last year amid a global economic slowdown and due to a surge in unconventional gas supplies, such as gas extracted from shale, in the United States.

Oil spills do more damage in the North

Amanda Graham — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:55:10 GMT

(Rolleiv Solholm/NRK via The Norway Post, 24 January 2010) -- An oil spill in the far North will do more damage to the environment than a spill further south. The reason is that the eco-systems in the North are more vulnerable, a new scientific report shows. The report is made by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) for the Directorate for Nature Management (DN), and is part of the background material to be used when the Government will be discussing the administration plan for the waters around Lofoten and in the Barents Sea. The Lofoten-Barents waters contain some of the world's largest fish stocks, rare coral reefs and other marine life, as well as some of the largest collections of sea birds. The new report confirms much of what has been previous information. "Today's knowledge tells us that it would not be advisable to open up for oil drilling off the coast of Lofoten and Vesterålen," says Lars Haltbrekken, leader of Friends of the Earth Norway (Norges Naturvernforbund).

Norway, Russia pleased with progress in delineation of the Barents Sea

Amanda Graham — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:45:17 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 22 January 2010) -- Russian and Norway are pleased with the progress in the talks on delimitation of the Barents Sea, says Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "We are in a process of negotiation which should not be called a regulation of a dispute," Mr. Lavrov said today in a speech on the key notes in Russian foreign politics in the previous year. "We are in a process on delimitation of the Barents Sea, and this process is advancing," he said, according to news agency PRIME-TASS. "Parts of the delimitation are already agreed upon, signed and approved by the governments," Mr. Lavrov said. "This has laid down important principles that will be used when regulation the rest of the delineation." The Russian Foreign Minister would not name a date for when the process will be ready, but underlined that both the Russian and Norwegian sides are pleased with how the process is advancing.

Arctic temperatures far above average

Amanda Graham — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:48:40 GMT

(NRK via Barents Observer, 4 January 2010) -- Air temperatures in the Arctic were in November and December between 5 and 9 degrees above the average, Norwegian meteorologist Vidar Eng confirms. The measurements, which have been made at Norwegian meteorologist stations in the Arctic in the last two months of 2009, showed a major increase compared with average figures from the period. Mr. Eng from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute in Tromsø believes the high temperatures could come from combined number of reasons, and first of all from the less amounts of ice in the area and the higher temperatures in the sea water. For all of 2009, the average temperature was three degrees higher than normal, NRK reports.

Web resource: BorderZone portal from BarentsObserver

Amanda Graham — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 19:18:48 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 12 December 2009) -- Are you curious about the Norwegian-Russian borderland? BarentsObserver now launches its BorderZone project, a web portal with comprehensive news, contact data and practical information from the two neighboring municipalities of Sør-Varanger and Pechenga. The new portal offers extensive contact information to shops, offices, business, organizations, media, schools, culture organization, places to eat, hotels and much more. It is also offers a comprehensive introduction to cross-border travelling, visa issues and transport, and keeps you updated with news information from the area. The BorderZone website is located at the address:www.barentsobserver.com/borderzone The two municipalities of Sør-Varanger and Pechenga are neighbors across the 196-km-long Norwegian-Russian border. For decades, Cold War tensions made cross-border contact between people in the area almost impossible. The 1990s saw a major increase in cross-border travelling. Still, contacts between Sør-Varanger and Pechenga even today remains at a modest level. The new portal is made to facilitate cross-border knowledge and contacts between people living in the borderland area. It is however also a useful tool for other people interested in the area, be it business people, officials, researchers or other. The BorderZone website is established with project support from the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.

Village of Revda to be closed

Amanda Graham — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:57:51 GMT

(Barents Observer, 23 December 2009) -- The village of Revda in Murmansk Oblast will probably be closed and its inhabitants moved. The reason for this is the collapse of the mining industry in the area. The company Lovozersky Mining and Processing Plant has struggled for several years, and the only department still in operation is the souvenir shop, Vedomosti reports. The Russian Government plans to initiate a program for relocation of the 9500 inhabitants. The Russian Government’s anti-crisis commission has put together a list of 27 one-company towns that need state financial support. 20 of these can count on federal allocations already in 2010. 10 billion RUB will be transferred to the towns as budget subsidies, while another 10 billion RUB will be given as three years credits. Revda is the only town on this list that is planned to be shut down.

Norwegian-Russian cooperation within higher education

Amanda Graham — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:07:06 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 10 November 2009) -- Bodø University College in Nordland, Norway, and the Pomor State University in Arkhangelsk, Russia, are expanding their cooperation through combined teaching on Bachelor’s level. The Centre for Northern Studies at The Faculty of Social Science at Bodø University College this autumn extends its cooperation with The Pomor State University by offering the students to take 90 study points as electives in language and culture specialist programs in Russia. So far, 20 students have chosen this study profile, the college’s web pages read. Bodø University College and the Pomor State University have been cooperating for 12 years. The cooperation started with projects in the field of social work and has since developed into today's Bachelor of Circumpolar Studies. A new Master in Arctic Social Work is now being developed together with Director Marina Kalinina at the Norwegian-Russian Centre at The Pomor State University. As BarentsObserver reported, the Pomor State University will be included in the new Northern (Arctic) Federal University, which is being established in Arkhangelsk. It is planned to be Russia’s center for education and research on the Arctic. "With extended cooperation and well-established Bachelor of Circumpolar Studies we are well positioned to take part in this development," says Head of the Centre for Northern Studies at The Faculty of Social Science at Bodø University College Bjørn Sagdal.

65 years since the liberation of the Arctic

Amanda Graham — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:50:58 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 23 October 2009) -- These days towns on both sides of the Norwegian-Russian border mark the 65th anniversary of Soviet troops’ defeat over the Wehrmacht's forces in the Arctic. The Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive started October 7th 1944, when Soviet forces started a counter-offensive against the German strongpoint line just 70 kilometers northwest of Murmansk. The German forces were driven back into Norway, and the first Soviet troops crossed the border to Norway on October 18th. On October 25th Soviet troops liberated the Norwegian town of Kirkenes from the German forces. Yesterday the anniversary was marked in the Russian border town of Nikel, with Mayor of Kirkenes Linda Beate Randal as guest. See video from the event on TV21. Murmansk is celebrating the occasion on Saturday with a military procession to the Alesha memorial. The same day Kirkenes is honoring the anniversary with several different events for the local population and the many invited guests from Russia and Norway. Read more about the offensive on Wikipedia or in Major James F. Gebhardt’s detailed book “The Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation : Soviet breakthrough and pursuit in the Arctic, October 1944”. (For a short summary of of Gebhardt's book, scroll to the bottom of the page, to the “Synopsis of Leavenworth Paper 17.”)

Norway to spend more in the north

Amanda Graham — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:57:47 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 13 October 2009) -- In the Government’s budget proposal for 2010, a record increase in funding of about NOK 530 million (Euro 64 million) has been proposed for a range of measures in the High North. The budget proposal includes a significantly increase in the funding for a number of areas, particularly value creation, knowledge-building and the environment. It includes an increase of NOK 112 million for emergency tugboat services in the north, NOK 50 million for onshore value creation, NOK 19 million for marine bioprospecting, NOK 17 million for the establishment of a centre for climate and environmental research in Tromsø and NOK 126 million for space-related activities. The Government proposes to allocate NOK 55 million to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Barents 2020 programme for knowledge-building in the north. This is an increase of NOK 20 million compared with 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes in a press-release. "This is a project with a time horizon of generations. Since 2006 we have increased funding for our efforts in the High North by more than NOK 1.5 billion, and with these allocations we have made substantial progress," Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre commented. The Foreign Minister added: "We are now seeing that a number of countries are directing their attention towards the north, not least because of the opportunities and challenges related to energy, maritime transport and climate change. Norway will continue to play a leading role in the High North in cooperation with our neighbours and allies in the north." The 2010 budget proposal aims to further strengthen these efforts. "Under the Barents 2020 programme, the Government is creating arenas for cooperation between Norwegian and foreign centres of expertise with a view to increasing our knowledge about the High North," Mr Støre continued.

Nautical studies in Vardø

Amanda Graham — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:08:54 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 31 August 2009) -- The Norwegian government has allocated money for the establishment of nautical studies in Vardø, home of the Vessel Traffic Centre for North Norway. The Norwegian Coastal Administration’s Vessel Traffic Centre (VTS) is responsible for monitoring and guiding of shipping traffic along the coast of Northern Norway. The vessel traffic centre plays a key role in Norway’s maritime safety cooperation with Russia. The Vardø VTS has since its opening in 2007 mainly been operated by commuters from other parts of Norway, and it has been difficult to recruit people with the right education among the 2600 local inhabitants. To improve the situation, Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen has allocated 104.000 EUR for the establishment of a two year program in nautical studies in Vardø, Kystverket reports. The Vardø VTS is one of several measures promoted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs to improve maritime safety in northern areas and to meet the challenges that follow from the increase in oil-related traffic in the north. Vardø VTS is also intended to play a key role in expanded cooperation with Russia in the areas of maritime safety and contingency planning for combating oil spills. Norway and Russia have concluded an agreement to establish a joint Norwegian-Russian vessel traffic management information system, Barents VTMIS. As BarentsObserver reported, more than 15 million tons of oil will be shipped through the Barents Sea in 2009. In 2015 oil shipments in the area could amount to more than 100 million tons.

Hunt is on for polar explorer Amundsen's seaplane

Amanda Graham — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:35:09 GMT

(Pierre-Henry Deshayes/AFP, 25 August 2009) -- OSLO - Norway's navy set sail this week for the Barents Sea to track down the missing plane used by legendary polar explorer Roald Amundsen who disappeared 81 years ago and hopefully resolve one of the Arctic's enigmas. Over some 10 days, two vessels will scour 36 square nautical miles (120 square kilometres) of seabed close to the island of Bjoernoeya in a bid to locate the remains of Amundsen's seaplane. "We are about to embark on a bold initiative which provides the only opportunity to solve one of Norway's most enduring mysteries; what happened to Roald Amundsen and his men?," expedition leader Rob McCallum of New Zealand wrote on his blog on Monday. ... On June 18, 1928 around 4:00 pm, Amundsen, Norwegian pilot Leif Dietrichson and four French nationals took off from the northern Norwegian town of Tromsø. Between 6:45 and 6:55 pm, the crew sent a radio message, then nothing more: the seaplane and its crew disappeared, probably off of Bjørnøya [Bear Island], the southernmost of the cluster of islands that make up the Svalbard archipelago. The circumstances of their disappearance have never been established and their bodies have never been found. Nobile and most of his crew survived. The Norwegian navy vessel KNM Tyr, equipped with two underwater robots, will now search the seabed northwest of Bjørnøya with a fine-toothed comb, supported by a ship from the Norwegian coastguard, the KNM Harstad, to find the seaplane's engines. "We are concentrating on the engine because as the plane was made of wood, we think it would have rotted away," Vegard Hatten, a Norwegian navy spokesman, told AFP. "If it really is in the presumed area, we will find it with our sophisticated equipment," he added.

Last strontium battery to be removed

Amanda Graham — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:45:04 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 25 August 2009) -- Next Monday will mark the removal of the last radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) from a lighthouse on the Island of Vaigach. State Secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Elisabeth Walaas, will go to Vaigach to overlook the removal. Since 1998 Norway has, in consultations with Russian authorities, financed the removal of RTGs and replaced them with environmentally friendly solar cell technology. The Norwegian Government has spent more than $20 million kroner on the RTG removals with the aim to avoid radioactive contamination of the marine and terrestrial environments. Also, it is important to remove the strong radioactive sources from the remote—and unguarded, areas to prevent unwanted access to sources of radioactivity. According to information from the County Governor of Finnmark in Norway, there have been four attempted thefts from lighthouses powered by strontium batteries in the northern areas. The County Governor of Finnmark is the project manager on the Norwegian side, while the removals are coordinated by Rosatom on the Russian side. After removal the radioactive sources from the RTGs are sent to the Mayak plant in the South Urals for long-term storage. The first lighthouses with RTGs to be removed were those near the border to Norway west of the Fishermen’s Peninsula on the Barents Sea coast. Originally there were 180 RTGs in the Barents Region. Half of them were removed before 2006.

Kirkenes business participants to study possibilities in Teriberka

Amanda Graham — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:28:21 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 20 August 2009) -- Thirty representatives from the business sector in the Norwegian border town Kirkenes leave for a study tour to the Russian settlement Teriberka, future main base for the Shtokman project. The aim of the trip is to learn more about the possibilities for participation in the development of the village. The participants also hope to tie contacts with possible Russian partners, newspaper Sør-Varanger Avis reports. "We have to be ready the day things start to happen in Teriberka," says communication manager of the Finnmark County authorities Trond Magne Henriksen. "We will not be sitting on the sideline here." As BarentsObserver has reported, Kirkenes sees major business opportunities from the Shtokman project. The town has port facilities and service industries which can supplement the bases on the Russian side of the border. Also Teriberka awaits a major change from a sleepy fishing village to the hub of the world’s biggest offshore gas field. A large part of the visiting group comes from the construction and building sector in Kirkenes, who hopes to get construction contracts when the big work begins. The study tour is organized and financed by Finnmark County authorities and Innovation Norway.

Norwegian/Russian cooperation in the Barents Sea

Amanda Graham — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:26:51 GMT

(Rolleiv Solholm/NRK via The Norway Post, 18 August 2009) -- Norway and Russia will this month begin a joint mapping of undiscovered natural resources in the Barents Sea and around the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, DN Energi reports. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), the University of Oslo (UiO) and the Russian Geological Institute (GIN RAS) will participate in the charting mission. In this connection, the UiO has awarded a contract to the Russian research vessel Akademik Nikolay Strakhov which will carry out most of the geological survey for oil and gas as well as general research and mapping. NPD research director Sissel Eriksen says to DN Energi that DPN has cooperated with Russia for some time, and that this latest agreement is a continuation of this cooperation. She underlines that the main task now is charting the area, and not to explore for oil and gas. NPD has earlier estimated that two thirds of Norway's undiscovered resources are to be found in the northern regions.

Sami Parliament will not approve new mining

Amanda Graham — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:24:31 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 22 July 2009) -- The Sami Parliament will not approve new mining projects in the northernmost Norwegian county of Finnmark, parliament speaker Egil Olli says. The Sami Parliament has strongly opposed the Norwegian national mineral law which was adopted by Norwegian legislators earlier this year. The parliament was unable to get its positions included in the law and has since threatened with a boycott of the new legislation. The Sami Parliament will not accept any mineral exploration in the region and will turn down all applications from interested companies, Olli stresse [sic] says to ABC Nyheter. "The Sami Parliament in May decided that it can not accept the mineral industry which the law is supposed to regulate," he adds. As reported previously by BarentsObserver, the Sami Parliament demands that local Sami communities get more benefits from regional industrial activities and that mining companies pay special fees for the indigenous people.

Russian subs mapping the North Atlantic

Amanda Graham — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:10:16 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 21 July 2009) -- With the aim to map potential petroleum resources, Russian submarines participated in a research operation in the waters between the Norwegian Island of Jan Mayen and Iceland in June. According to the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, two of the submarines were nuclear powered. The submarines participating in the research mapping of the seabed were in both Icelandic, Norwegian and international waters in June this year. Interviewed by Dagbladet, Head of Icelandic Defence Agency Ms Ellisif Tinna Vigdisdottir, said the submarines were northeast of Iceland. The Defense Agency’s website writes that the submarines were sailing in the North-Atlantic from The Faroe Islands in the south to Svalbard area in the north. Neither the Norwegian nor Icelandic Foreign Ministries have officially reacted or made any statements against the Russian research mapping of potential oil- and gas resources in their economical zone. BarentsObserver.com wrote in May about Russia’s newly adopted National Security Strategy that highlights the energy challenges. The strategy says that the Barents Sea and the Arctic are among the regions of upcoming international competition for energy resources. According to the article in Dagbladet, two submarines are participating in the research activities while the two nuclear powered submarines had support tasks. The identities of the submarines are not known. In June, BarentsObserver.com wrote that Russia’s newest special purpose submarine, B-90 named Sarov was operating in northern waters. During the Cold War, Russia’s Northern fleet operated several special purpose submarines aimed for underwater spy operations. It is not officially known if any of them are still in operation.

A plan to change the skyline of Kirkenes

Amanda Graham — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:23:50 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 5 June 2009) -- Norway's Barents Secretariat wants to build the tallest wooden building ever constructed in the region right in the heart of downtown Kirkenes. In a news release, the Norwegian Barents Secretariat said the time was ripe to build for a physical symbol of the positive developments in Norway's arctic region. "The new Barents House must be of such significance that people would want to go there from afar to experience the house. It must be an attraction and a landmark which is beyond any other similar building. As important is the ambition of making the building a centre for knowledge development, especially about the High North and Norwegian-Russian relations, and a place for the gathering and assembly of international High North interests," said Secretary General Rune Rafaelsen at the Norwegian Barents Secretariat. The Oslo-based architectural firm Reiulf Ramstad Architects has designed the plans for the building, which would have 16 to 17 floors. "The idea is to construct a building which will be CO2-neutral, where the concept of the cycles of nature will be preserved. The innovative solutions on modern wooden constructions will stand as a token of the level of competence in the region," said architect Reiulf Ramstad The building woul go up in downtown Kirkenes, dramatically changing the city's skyline. "The new Barents House will function as a lighthouse for the development of the Barents Region and the regional border cooperation in the North," Rafaelsen said. The building's design includes a library, a theatre and a space for artists, researchers, students and other institutions, says the Barents Observer. The Norwegian Barents Secretariat, the International Barents Secretariat and the Barents Institute would also have their offices in the building.

StatoilHydro, Gazprom extend Arctic cooperation

Amanda Graham — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 03:46:23 GMT

(Reuters, 5 June 2009) -- OSLO - Norwegian oil and gas group StatoilHydro and Russia's Gazprom agreed on Friday to extended cooperation in exploring and producing petroleum resources in northern regions, StatoilHydro said. The agreement is valid for three years and replaces a similar 2005 Arctic cooperation deal between Gazprom, Statoil and Norsk Hydro (Oslo: NHY.OL - news) before Statoil bought Norsk Hydro's oil and gas assets to form StatoilHydro in 2007. StatoilHydro is partnered with Gazprom and France's Total to develop the giant Shtokman gas field in Russia's part of the Barents Sea in the Arctic. 'The Memorandum stipulates that the parties will cooperate in northern regions of Russia and Norway to discover and develop hydrocarbon fields, as well as to design technologies for exploration, production and transportation of corresponding resources,' StatoilHydro said in a statement. Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller, who signed the deal with StatoilHydro's CEO Helge Lund in St Petersburg, said Shtokman would be 'the starting point' for developing Arctic oil and gas resources. Gazprom has said it expects to take an investment decision on Shtokman with Total and StatoilHydro in the first quarter of 2010, and aims to begin exporting gas by pipeline from the field in 2013 and as liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2014. Lund said the cooperation deal underscored the long-term continuity of the relationship between StatoilHydro and Gazprom.

Norwegian pressure against Sami governance

Amanda Graham — Fri, 29 May 2009 23:33:16 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 29 May 2009) -- The Progress Party, the second biggest political party in Norway, wants to abolish the Sami Parliament, pull Norway out of the ILO Convention 169 and reduce Sami land rights. No ethnic group should have exclusive land or government preferences, the party argues. In its annual assembly this week, the party adopted a controversial policy programme on Sami issues, which calls for the deprival of all exclusive land and governance rights of the indigenous Sami people. Should the Progress Party win the upcoming parliament elections and get government power, ethnic tensions in northern Norway could get serious, observers fear. The Progress Party in its programme maintains that the Sami Parliament in Norway should be abolished in its current form and that Norway should pull out of the ILO Convention 169, an agreement which grants exclusive rights to indigenous peoples. The programme also indicates that the Finnmark Authority, the Sami-dominated body in control of land management in the northernmost county of Finnmark, should be abolished. The anti-Sami policy of the right-wing party comes as tensions between Sami and non-Sami interests in northern Norway is on the increase. As BarentsObserver reported, new and stricter land claims from Sami communities stir increasing irritation among other groups in the region.

New website: BarentsIndigenous.org

Amanda Graham — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:09:10 GMT

(Jonas Sjøkvist Karlsbakk/Norwegian Barents Secretariat, 20 May 2009) -- The BarentsIndigenous.org website will provide news and further information about the indigenous peoples of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region. Activities and projects involving indigenous peoples of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region are key items of the website, as well as promotion of the activities of the Working Group of Indigenous Peoples of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region. A Russian version will hopefully be ready soon, as the website has a particular eye on the Russian side. Information across the state borders is crucial for extended cooperation, and the Norwegian Barents Secretariat has a pronounced focus on indigenous peoples and aims for increased activity and border-crossing cooperation between the Nenets, Saami and Veps of the region. The website is administrated by the Norwegian Barents Secretariat, in cooperation with the Barents Indigenous Peoples' Office (BIPO) in Lovozero, Russian Federation.

Nordic delegation to Barents Conference

Amanda Graham — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:58:30 GMT

(Nordic Council News, 25 May 2009) -- Parliamentarians from Norway, Finland, Iceland, Russia and Sweden are set to attend the fourth Barents Parliamentary Conference in Syktyvkar, Russia, 26-27 May. The main themes will be indigenous peoples, the environment and the role of parliamentarians in the socio-economic development of the Barents Region. The Nordic delegation has two main priorities: ensuring that education is included as part of the EU's Northern Dimension Cultural Partnership, and that regional co-operation is seen in relation to the Northern Dimension, with the Dimension acting as an umbrella for the respective areas. In addition to the Cultural Partnership, the Northern Dimension also covers partnerships for the environment, health and social care. The Nordic Council delegation includes Vice-President Kent Olsson, Berit Brørby and Asmund Kristoffersen. The Northern Dimension addresses regional challenges in the far north, a region that includes the EEA member states Norway and Iceland, as well as Russia. The aim is to encourage closer dialogue and co-operation between the EU and its member states, as well as the EEA and Russia. The Barents Parliamentary Conference conference is an integral part of inter-parliamentary co-operation in the region.

Stoltenberg, Medvedev, and Putin discuss cooperation in Arctic

Amanda Graham — Sun, 24 May 2009 00:24:52 GMT

(Mia Bennett/The Arctic, World Blog Network, 23 May 2009) -- On Tuesday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg visited Russian President Dmitri Medvedev at his residence outside Moscow. The two leaders discussed cooperation in the Arctic, mainly regarding the issue of gas. Medvedev said, “The development of the region as a whole depends on how we form a coordinated position on exploring the gas fields on the Arctic shelf. I think this is one of the most important areas of our cooperation.” The Russian president was chair of Gazprom’s board of directors until just a little over a year ago. Stoltenberg also visited Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Together, they discussed Russia’s presence in Svalbard and the gas field at Shtokman, which Putin noted was a “big bilateral project between our two countries.” Another issue discussed—but far from resolved—between Russia and Norway was the status of the “grey zone” in the Barents Sea, where both countries’ territorial claims overlap over a resource-rich area of 175,000 square kilometers. The United Nations ruled earlier this month that since both countries have legitimate claims to the area, the dispute would have to be resolved bilaterally. Norway wants the territory to be divided based on a dividing line drawn through the middle of the area, while Russia wants the division to be based on the “principal of justice,” which would entail drawing borders in respect to the western coasts of Soviet Arctic territories. Aside from these sticky disputes, Norwegian-Russia relations are generally friendly. Last year, trade between the two countries increased 45%. Stoltenberg and Norwegian Defense Minister Jonas Gahr Støre have often commented that they are not worried by Russian military development in the Arctic, saying that it is only logical. While there have been a few minor spats over Russian jet exercises outside of Norwegian airspace, tensions have never reached the level of the Canadian-Russian relationship, for example.

Russia: Arctic is no EU affair

Amanda Graham — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:55:29 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 19 May 2009) -- The Arctic is not an issue in Russia-EU relations, Russian Ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told Euractiv.com. In an interview about the upcoming EU-Russian meeting in Khabarovsk, Russia’s EU Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov made it clear that the Arctic is not an issue in EU-Russia relations. “We believe that in the foreseeable future consolidated efforts of the Arctic states are sufficient. Let me remind you that that there is no EU member state among the Arctic states," Chizhov said, Euractiv.com reports. That position is not shared by the EU, however, which last November adopted its Arctic Communication. As reported by BarentsObserver, that document outlines a clearer and more active role of the union in Arctic issues.