London, May 15 (IF).- Exploration work carried out by the Russian polar research ship Alexander Karpinsky in 2020 has raised concerns among British MPs that Moscow will try to extract oil from part of those southern territories claimed by the United Kingdom. The Daily Telegraph reports.
The conservative newspaper echoes the views of a recent parliamentary committee in which some MPs expressed concern to government representatives about whether the Russian executive is considering seizing hydrocarbons, which would violate the 1959 International Antarctic Treaty.
These concerns are based on the Russian Geological Agency's acknowledgment four years ago that Karpinsky's studies identified about 70 billion tons of oil and gas buried under the Antarctic shelf.
The head of the Polar Regions Department at the Foreign Office in London, Jane Rumble, assured MPs in the House of Commons (below) that “there is no evidence to suggest a violation of the treaty, as different equipment would be needed to do this.” “Topography for exploitation” of the Earth’s interior.
He added, “But yes, we are following the matter closely, and Russia has been contacted regarding this issue on previous occasions and has confirmed (to other signatory countries of the Antarctic Treaty) on numerous occasions that this is a scientific program.”
While Antarctica, where exploration is permitted for scientific purposes only, is not governed by any nation, seven countries have historically claimed parts of the region, including the United Kingdom, Argentina and Chile.
The newspaper notes that although Moscow asserts that the geological studies are of a scientific nature, “experts are increasingly concerned that they represent another example of the so-called ‘gray zone tactics’ used by the Kremlin around the world.”
According to the newspaper, these experts believe that “the activities of Roggio ships, such as the Karpinsky – and other infrastructure built by Russia – represent a diplomatic dilemma, given their capacity for both civilian and military purposes.” Evie
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