China should have a say in future of Arctic – Iceland president
Olafur Ragnar Grimsson says nations beyond the polar region should be involved in determining future of the far north
Iceland's president has called for an expanded role for China and other Asian countries in the future of the Arctic, arguing that the rapid melting of the summer sea ice was having effects far beyond the region.
In a visit to Washington, for the launch of a new global forum, the Arctic Circle, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson said countries beyond the polar region deserved a say in determining the future of the far north.
"It is a wrong scenario to think that this will only be of concern to those people living in the Arctic. It will be a concern to every nation," Grimsson said in an interview. "There is no country that will escape the consequences, either through rising sea levels or extreme weather patterns."
With that in mind, Grimsson argued that oil companies and countries as far away as China, India, Singapore and South Korea should have a voice in the future of the region. At present, only the eight countries of the Arctic Council have a say in setting policy in the region. "We realise that there are other nations in Asia and Europe that have legitimate concerns and enterprises in the Arctic and it's important to involve them in a co-operative effort," Grimsson said.
He made his visit to Washington as Chinese and Icelandic leaders signed a free trade agreement in Beijing that will give China a bigger foothold in the emerging region.
Grimsson said Arctic Circle would aim for a more inclusive debate about the future of the Arctic.
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