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In stark contrast to simmering fears that a new kind of "ColdWar" is emerging between oil-hungry Arctic nations, Canada'sChief of Defence Staff, Gen. Walter Natynczyk, is preparing to hosthis counterparts from seven other northern countries next week inLabrador for two days of talks on polar issues "of mutualinterest," Postmedia News has learned. The planned gathering of the world's top Arctic military officials including the defence chiefs or senior northern commanders fromCanada, the U.S., Russia, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland andIceland is scheduled to take place April 12-13 at CanadianForces Base Goose Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador. Details are still "in flux," Natynczyk's chief spokesman,Lt.-Cmdr. Kris Phillips, said Tuesday. But Canadian officials areplanning for about 50 international visitors to arrive nextThursday at the Goose Bay airbase for discussions on Arcticsearch-and-rescue operations, northern environmental challenges,military-aboriginal relations and a range of other issues. Phillips said Natynczyk, Canada's top soldier, began working fourmonths ago to arrange the meeting with military chiefs from fellowArctic Council countries. Although the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen.Martin Dempsey, is not expected to attend the meeting, the Americandelegation is to be led by Gen. Charles Jacoby, head of NORAD andthe U.S. Northern Command. "The big push behind this was to . . . strengthen some of ourdefence relationships with folks who are operating in theNorth," said Phillips, adding that the 36-hour gathering isexpected to feature multilateral talks among the eight nationsalong with one-on-one sessions between various countries, includingCanada and its nearest Arctic neighbours. He said joint military exercises in the Canadian Arctic two yearsago with Danish and American forces offered a model for moreco-operative action between northern countries. The defence chiefs expect to exchange ideas on how military units"can work better with civil authorities in the North,"make environmental stewardship a priority and ensure"protection of the rights of aboriginal people," Phillipsadded. "Search-and-rescue is a prime example of where we can all worktogether as defence organizations," he said, noting that"disaster assistance" in the event of a plane crash orother crises in remote parts of the North could merit aco-operative response by several Arctic countries. The planned Goose Bay gathering serves as a collaborativecounterpoint to persistent concerns in recent years that theongoing retreat of Arctic sea ice, increased circumpolar shiptraffic and potential oil-and-gas riches in the Far North aresetting the stage for conflict possibly even militaryconfrontations between Arctic coastal states. Those concerns were sparked in 2007 when a Russian submarinedropped a flag on the North Pole sea floor, which led then-foreignaffairs minister Peter MacKay now Canada's defence minister to decry the act as a throwback to the era of Europeanempire-building. "This isn't the 15th century," MacKay said at the time."You can't go around the world and just plant flags and say,'We're claiming this territory.' " Several tense episodes followed in which MacKay and other Canadianministers expressed concern over Russian military flights overArctic waters close to Canadian air space. Ongoing disputes between Canada and Denmark over the ownership oftiny Hans Island and between Canada and the U.S. over control ofthe Northwest Passage have also flared occasionally. But such incidents have generally come to be seen as momentarysetbacks or faux fights motivated by domestic politicalconsiderations in an era of otherwise respectful relations onArctic issues between Canada, Russia and other northern countries. The five nations with Arctic Ocean coastlines have also pledged tolet scientists from their respective geological ministriesdetermine the ownership of disputed continental shelves in theNorth in a peaceful, orderly fashion, according to rules set out ina UN treaty. "There are certain areas where co-operation (in the Arctic)would be paramount," Phillips said. But he added that while top Arctic military officials haveexpressed a willingness to come together for talks in Goose Bay,each country retains the right to protect and assert itssovereignty in the region: "Obviously no nation is going toget into (discussing) its exact defence plans for whatever theyhave going on in the North." rboswell@postmedia.com. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Silicone Wristband Watch Manufacturer , China Silicone Balance Bracelet, and more. For more , please visit Silicone Kitchenware today!
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