Moscow - Saba:
Russia has expressed concern about attempts to draw the Svalbard archipelago into the military preparations of Norway and NATO. It also expressed its interest in the peaceful use of the Arctic, calling for an end to steps that lead to an escalation of tensions, according to Russian Ambassador to Oslo Nikolai Korshunov.
"We are concerned about attempts to draw the archipelago into the military preparations of Norway and its NATO allies," the Russian diplomat said in an interview with Sputnik.
He added, "Contrary to the international legal regime established by the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, which stipulates the exclusively peaceful development of the archipelago and prohibits the use of its territory for military purposes, we are witnessing attempts to draw Svalbard into the orbit of Norwegian military-political planning with the participation of the United States and NATO."
The ambassador continued that the Russian side is concerned about the lack of transparency in the operation of dual-use facilities in the archipelago, which, in addition to civilian facilities, allow for military missions, including military operations on the territory of third countries.
Korshunov concluded by saying, "I would like to emphasize that the Russian side is interested in the peaceful use of the Arctic as a whole and calls for the rejection of any steps that lead to an artificial escalation of tensions in Svalbard and in this region in general."
The Svalbard archipelago is located in the Arctic Ocean. The 1920 Svalbard Treaty defined the international legal status of the archipelago, establishing Norway's sovereignty over this area, previously considered a no-man's land. The treaty granted the states party to the treaty, including Russia, equal rights to exploit the natural resources of Svalbard and its territorial waters. Svalbard enjoys a special status and is open to visa-free travel for citizens of the states party to the Svalbard Treaty.
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