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| Russians to dive below North Pole | Russians to dive below North Pole |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Russia is sending a mini-submarine to explore the ocean floor below the North Pole and find evidence to support its claims to Arctic territory. | Russia is sending a mini-submarine to explore the ocean floor below the North Pole and find evidence to support its claims to Arctic territory. |
| Two parliamentarians, including veteran explorer Artur Chilingarov, are part of a team planning to dive 4,200m (14,000 ft) below the Arctic Ocean on Sunday. | Two parliamentarians, including veteran explorer Artur Chilingarov, are part of a team planning to dive 4,200m (14,000 ft) below the Arctic Ocean on Sunday. |
| The team's ship is following a nuclear powered ice-breaker, setting sail from Murmansk port in the Barents Sea. | The team's ship is following a nuclear powered ice-breaker, setting sail from Murmansk port in the Barents Sea. |
| Melting ice in the Arctic has raised hopes of accessing energy reserves. | Melting ice in the Arctic has raised hopes of accessing energy reserves. |
| Russia's claim to a vast swathe of territory in the Arctic, thought to contain oil, gas and mineral reserves, has been challenged by other powers, including the US. | Russia's claim to a vast swathe of territory in the Arctic, thought to contain oil, gas and mineral reserves, has been challenged by other powers, including the US. |
| See a detailed map of the region | See a detailed map of the region |
| Moscow argued before a UN commission in 2001 that waters off its northern coast were in fact an extension of its maritime territory. | Moscow argued before a UN commission in 2001 that waters off its northern coast were in fact an extension of its maritime territory. |
| The claim was based on the argument that an underwater feature, known as the Lomonosov Ridge, was an extension of its continental territory. | |
| The UN has yet to rule upon the claim. | The UN has yet to rule upon the claim. |
| Geological proof | Geological proof |
| The team aboard the mini-submarine Mir is expected to carry out scientific experiments and measurements on the sea bed. | The team aboard the mini-submarine Mir is expected to carry out scientific experiments and measurements on the sea bed. |
| Reports say it will also leave behind a Russian flag and a capsule with a message for future generations. | Reports say it will also leave behind a Russian flag and a capsule with a message for future generations. |
| "The Arctic is ours and we should demonstrate our presence," Mr Chilingarov told Russian TV. | "The Arctic is ours and we should demonstrate our presence," Mr Chilingarov told Russian TV. |
| His colleague and fellow parliamentarian Vladimir Gruzdev was quoted as saying: "We must remind the whole world that Russia is a great polar and scientific power." | His colleague and fellow parliamentarian Vladimir Gruzdev was quoted as saying: "We must remind the whole world that Russia is a great polar and scientific power." |
| The expedition's "flagship", the Akademik Fyodorov, will follow the trail of the ice-breaking ship Rossiya as it travels from Murmansk to the North Pole. | The expedition's "flagship", the Akademik Fyodorov, will follow the trail of the ice-breaking ship Rossiya as it travels from Murmansk to the North Pole. |
| The Law of the Sea Convention allows states an economic zone of 200 nautical miles, which can sometimes be expanded. | The Law of the Sea Convention allows states an economic zone of 200 nautical miles, which can sometimes be expanded. |
| To extend the zone, a state has to prove that the structure of the continental shelf is similar to the geological structure within its territory. | To extend the zone, a state has to prove that the structure of the continental shelf is similar to the geological structure within its territory. |
| At the moment, nobody's shelf extends up to the North Pole, so there is an international area around the Pole administered by the International Seabed Authority. | At the moment, nobody's shelf extends up to the North Pole, so there is an international area around the Pole administered by the International Seabed Authority. |
| Return to the top | Return to the top |