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Adm. James Foggo, the commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and Joint Forces Command Naples, insisted that Russia and China must be stopped from dominating Arctic waters.
“It should have free and fair access to, certainly, all the Arctic Council nations — of which we are a member,” Foggo told media.
He further claimed that the Arctic, including the North Sea route, is “nobody’s lake”.
According to the admiral, US companies have “no interest” in sailing such a “Polar Silk Road,” because most U.S. vessels are too large to sail in such shallow waters.
He pointed out that “the Chinese have a host of different varieties of vessels that can transit across the arctic so they want to make sure that they have a stake up there”.
Foggo also speculated that the Russian sovereignty over its northern territories must be limited.
“…but the Russians consider the Arctic their domain. And, it’s really an international domain, and that’s why we’re interested in keeping it free and open,” he said.
The Northern Sea Route is a shipping route officially defined by Russian legislation as lying east of Novaya Zemlya and specifically running along the Russian Arctic coast from the Kara Sea, along Siberia, to the Bering Strait. The entire route route lies within Russia’s exclusive economic zone.
Foggo’s remarks were not the first attempt to convince the audience that Russia is doing something wrong in the Arctic. Previously, various US diplomats and military officials stated that the Russians must be limited in its actions in the region. Most of these statements call for rough violation of the international law and contribute to the further dismantling of the post-USSR international relations system.
Pathetic.
Ok send a carrier to exercise your “Freedom of the sea” stupidity, but don’t ask the Russians help if it stacks in ice !
Nimitz would need 12,5m – now how shallow is it?
“The entire route route lies within Russia’s exclusive economic zone.”
Even more important …that Russian “exclusive economic zone” is within reach of Russian coastal anti-ship defenses (Bal, Bastion)… So US and NATO can try to ignore Russia and not ask PERMISSION.. They can challenge them and use Russian “exclusive economic zone” for their “free” passage but they will end up on the bottom of the sea.
He said I like it I want it I’ll take it off your hands And you’ll be sorry you crossed me
Amazing how international law and rules based system is only ever brought up when it suits U.S. interests and amnesia occurs when it doesn’t.
There is nothing what US can do to Russia the only think can USA to Russia is to suck the dick of Russians .. NOTHING ELSE.. If USA the cock suckers of puppet goverment will touch Russia will there’s last wish before life will become hell
The Murican stance: “we can’t have it so we don’t want to Russia to have it either… waaahhh!!! waaahhh!!! waaahhh!!! “
This Murican fuk-stick fails to recognise that the NE passage relies on passing through chokepoints that are FULLY within the Russian territorial sea boundary, not just the EEZ. You can’t go around the islands unless you have some really serious ice-breaker capability, which of course the US doesn’t have.
What is it with these brain-damaged stuffed-shirt Seppostani poseurs?