Political Committee 2008Committee GuideNumber 1Honourable delegates of the Political Committee, our topic sounds like "Dealing with naval sovereignty and borders: the Arctic". It is known that under international law no country currently owns the North Pole or the region of the Arctic Ocean surrounding it. The five surrounding Arctic states, Russia, the United States (via Alaska), Canada, Norway and Denmark (via Greenland), are limited to a 200 nautical mile (370km) economic zone around their coasts. Upon ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country has a ten year period to make claims to extend its 200 nautical mile zone. Due to this, Norway (ratified the convention in 1996), Russia (ratified in 1997), Canada (ratified in 2003) and Denmark (ratified in 2004) launched projects to base claims that certain Arctic sectors should belong to their territories. The United States has signed, but not yet ratified this treaty, although George W. Bush asked the U.S. Senate to ratify it on May 15, 2007 and on October 31, 2007, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 17-4 to send the ratification vote to the full U.S. Senate. In 1925, based upon the Sector Principle, Canada became the first country to extend its boundaries northward to the North Pole, at least on paper, between 60°W and 141°W longitude, a claim that is not universally recognized (there are in fact 415 nautical miles, or 770km, of ocean between the Pole and Canada's northernmost land point). Russia (35°E to 170°W) and Norway (5°E to 35°E) have made similar sector claims, as did the United States of America (170°W to 141°W), but that sector contained only a few islands, so the claim was not pressed. Denmark's sovereignty over all of Greenland was recognized by the United States in 1916 and by an international court in 1933. Denmark could also conceivably claim an Arctic sector (60°W to 10°W). In addition, Canada claims the water between its Arctic Islands as internal waters. The United States of America is one of the countries which does not recognize Canada's, or any other countries', Arctic water claims, and has allegedly sent nuclear submarines under the ice near Canadian islands without requesting permission. On April 15, 1926, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR declared the territory between two lines (35°E and 170°W) drawn from Murmansk to the North Pole and from the Chukotka Peninsula to the North Pole to be Soviet territory. Otherwise, until 1999 the North Pole and the major part of the Arctic Ocean had been generally considered international territory. However, as the polar ice has begun to recede at a rate higher than expected (global warming), several countries have made moves to claim, or to enforce pre-existing claims to, the waters or seabed at the Pole. Now the countries are stating their territorial claims and trying to prove that they should possess the territories of the Arctic; expeditions, constant arguments, illegal actions and common wish for natural resources of the region. Hot spots of the Arctic are:
The main questions that arise when discussing this problem:
There's also such a high level forum - the Arctic Council which is the only major intergovernmental initiative for the Arctic involving all eight Arctic states. It has two primary objectives. The first is to promote environmental protection and follows from the work of the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, an effort begun by the same Arctic states in 1991 to address environmental issues affecting the entire region and, in particular, to develop multilateral responses to pollution in the Russian Arctic. The second objective of the Arctic Council concerns sustainable development. This relates to the economic circumstances of the indigenous people and other residents of the Arctic in the context of preserving the environment. To these ends, the Council has endorsed a number of cooperative activities to be carried out primarily through a series of subsidiary bodies. The question of territorial claims in the Arctic region has become the reason for great contradictions among previously mentioned 5 states. In our opinion, our and your main task is to come to consensus but also to remember about particular interests of these countries. You shouldn't forget about positive efforts that have been made for the last few years but understand that we need to make more effective and constructive decisions. Good luck! Useful links: Number 2Dear Delegates! Welcome to the BALMUN 2008 Political Committee! The issue open for debate this year is "Dealing with naval sovereignty and borders: the Arctic". For getting basic knowledge and inspiration for further work you can study the hand book and then start writing your resolutions! We don't suggest any solutions here, we just give you useful information and advice that you should take into account. Of course, the quality of the debate and the fruitfulness of our work depend mainly on you. So we hope you will come to the conference with a big "suitcase" of thoughts and ideas. "Under international law, no country currently owns the North Pole or the region of the Arctic Ocean surrounding it. The five surrounding Arctic states, Russia, the United States (via Alaska), Canada, Norway and Denmark (via Greenland), are limited to a 200 nautical mile (370km) economic zone around their coasts." (wikipedia.de) According to the „United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea“ these countries can enlarge this economical zone ten years after ratifying it. On November 27, 2006 Norway firstly made an official submission to the UN referring to the „ United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea“ to extend their 200nm zone in three areas of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Arctic: the Loop Hole in the Barents Sea, the Western Nansen Basin in the Arctic Ocean, and the Banana Hole in the Norwegian Sea. The submission also states that an additional submission for continental shelf limits in other areas may be posted later. Russia, Canada, the USA and Denmark also claimed great parts of the arctic ocean for themselves. Some countries claim the Arctic has never been under the political control of any nation, although some nations' militaries have attached strategic importance to the region. You should give special attention also to the ownership of natural resources and, according to the climate change, the growing possibility of shipping traffic. |
My name is Friedrich Leukert. After four MUN conferences (of which three in Berlin and one in Oldenburg), I insisted on chairing the Having been member of the SC at OLMUN and experienced the extraordinary power of that UN organ (and the As I will have my final written exam next tuesday, I ask you to wish luck and success on me. Looking forward to a wonderful conference, |
Introduction of the Chairs |
