23
September
2010
Head of METROPOL Group of Companies М.V. Slipenchuk Makes a Report at International Arctic Forum
International Arctic Forum “The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue”,
held in Moscow on 22nd and 23rd
September 2010, is organized at the initiative of the Russian
Geographical Society. The Forum’s main topics include current
Arctic problems from the point of view of national interests and
international dialogue, environmental protection and development of
Arctic natural resources.
The Forum is attended by Chairman of the Russian Geographical
Society S.K. Shoigu; ruling prince of Monaco Albert II; special
representative of the President of the Russian Federation for
international cooperation in the Arctic and the Antarctic,
President of the Fund for Protection of Lake Baikal А.N.
Chilingarov; Rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University V.А.
Sadovnichy; Dean of the geographical faculty of Moscow State
University N.S. Kasimov; and Chairman of the Senior Officials
Committee of the Arctic Council Lars Meller (Denmark) among over
300 other representatives of research and public organizations,
governmental bodies and businesses from Russia, Norway, Canada,
Monaco, France, Finland, Iceland, USA, Germany, UK, Switzerland,
Sweden, Holland, Denmark, Italy and Czech Republic.
Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of the Russian Geographical Society V.V. Putin said in his
address to the Forum's participants: “Russia is planning to revive
and build up its research presence in the Arctic, supporting
fundamental studies, including those carried out by international
teams of scientists and experts.“
He emphasized the need to create comfortable living conditions for
local people and the pursuit of a frugal attitude towards the
indigenous and small Arctic nations' socio-economic infrastructure
and tradition. This is a priority task facing the state in the
development of the Arctic.
In his report entitled “Investment Attractiveness of the Far North
Regions: Points of Growth” M.V. Slipenchuk elaborated on this
topic. “Development of traditional economy, trades and handicrafts
of the indigenous and small Arctic nations is impossible without
the development of infrastructure facilities, in particular, on the
Northern Sea Route”, he said emphasizing that finding solutions to
those issues, including ports development, can be facilitated by
private and state partnership involving international
participation. Speaking on the challenges of global climate changes
М.V.Slipenchuk stressed that Arctic ice melting can turn out to be
economically beneficial for Russia.
Based on RIA Novosti reports
