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"We have no fear that with the return of Alaska to the Northern Forum, American influence will increase"

Anton Vasilyev

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Iceland

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Vladimir Vasiliev, Minister for Federal Relations and External Relations of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia):

- By 2011, there was a crisis in the work of the Northern Forum, connected in many respects with changes in the global space (for example, the strengthening of Russia's position in the international arena). Only 9 regions of the world remained in the organization, such strong regions as the state of Alaska (USA), Heilongjiang province (China), Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Russia) and others (Northern Forum is an international non-governmental organization of the northern regions, formed on the initiative of regional governments of Hokkaido (Japan), Alaska (USA), Magadan and Kamchatka regions (USSR) in 1991. In the early 2000s, it included 25 regions from 11 countries. Ed.).

When we undertook the restoration of the Northern Forum as an international organization that would be a full-fledged partner of the Arctic CouncilWe understood that there are a number of key regionswhose membership will attract new members and set everyone up for constructive dialogue and a new level of cooperation. Whether we like it or not, UnitedAmerica plays one of the leading roles in the whole world, and if we are talking about the Arctic, then there is no way to do without the state of Alaska.

Alaska for many years lediroshaft in the Northern Forum, although in the construction ofThe organization’s policy with Russia has always been equal. We have no fear that with the return of Alaska to the Northern Forum, American influence will increase. Moreover, I am confident that with the entry of this state into the Northern Forum, the organization will find a "second wind". GuAlaska Bernator Bill Walker is a high-level and broad-based politician Views that are sufficiento loyal to Russia.

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At the end of November last year, we invited the Director of the Institute of the North from the USA, Nils Andreassen, and the head of the province of Lapland, Mika Riipi to our conference. "The Arctic: Prospects for Sustainable Development". Interest in the topic of one of the Arctic leaders of Northern Europe and AlaskaInns representative gave us a good opportunity while sitting face to face, discuss a number of important momentsTents.

According to the rules of the Arctic Council, In April this year, its chairman will be the United States of America. For several years, the Northern Forum raised questionsO strengthening cooperation with the Arctic Council. We advised how to strengthen this cooperation. It turned out that it is quite feasible if during the US chairmanship of the Arctic Council in the Northern Forum the chairman is Alaska. It turns out that we transfer leadership in the Arctic organizations of different levels of the United States for two years. This idea was liked by Miku Riipa, because in this way in two years the chairman of the Northern Forum will be LaplandiI. Nils Andreassen immediately saidthat the thought is very correct. So the return of Alaska is still an idea, and life will show how feasible it is. Around Russia there is now a sufficiento difficult situationand we must evaluate the consequences of our actions.