Russian governor praises role of Barents Cooperation
The Barents Council is a great example of international cooperation on regional level, Arkhangelsk Governor Igor Orlov underlines to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“The Barents cooperation structures are truly among the most efficient organizations of its kind”, Orlov said in this week’s meeting between regional governors and the federal foreign ministry.
“This comprehensive experience serves the attention and adoptation also from other regions”, the governor added, a press release from the Arkhangelsk regional government reads.
According to Orlov, cross-border cooperation between Northwest Russian and Nordic regions continue “irrespectively of the geopolitical sitation”.
Arkhangelsk Oblast has the last two years chaired the Barents Regional Council, one of the two main pilars in the Barents Cooperation structure. The Barents Region includes a total of 13 territorial units, among them five Russian federal subjects, and stretches from the Norwegian Sea in the west to the Ural mountain in the east.
Governor Orlov has also on previous occasions praised the Barents Cooperation. Speaking to his regional assembly last year, Orlov admitted that that the Arkhangelsk chairmanship of the Regional Council comes in a rather complicated geopolitical period. However, “that should not in any case affect our cooperation in solving common problems,” he added.
“This cooperation is beyond big politics,” Orlov stressed.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Indigenous leaders warn international community, continued tensions with Russia will harm Arctic, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Finland’s Sámi request UN help in securing their rights, Yle News
Greenland: What the EU seal ban has meant for Inuit communities in the Arctic, Eye on the Arctic
Iceland: Iceland conference draws on hopes, concerns for changing Arctic, Alaska Dispatch
Norway: Norway must ramp up military in response to Russia: report, Barents Observer
Russia: Russia to give indigenous peoples priority in Barents chairmanship, Barents Observer
Sweden: UN report critical of Sweden’s treatment of the Sami, Radio Sweden
United States: Alaska administration wants better relationship with tribal governments, Alaska Dispatch News
