Arctic countries sign "ground-breaking" SAR agreement

NUUK (Greenland), May 13 (Itar-Tass) -- Foreign ministers and leaders
of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic Council met to set out future
policy on Thursday and signed the Nuuk declaration and an agreement to
cooperate in Search and Rescue efforts in the Arctic.
The Arctic Council said on its website the Search and Rescue (SAR)
agreement is "ground-breaking in the annals of the Arctic Council, as it
is the first legally-binding agreement negotiated under the auspices of
the Council."
It "will strengthen cooperation between the Arctic states and improve
the way Arctic countries respond to emergency calls in the region," it
added.
Sweden's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt, incoming chair of
the Arctic Council, said that Arctic countries need enhanced cooperation
on many future challenges, not the least being prevention, preparedness
and response to oils spills. He said that during their chairmanship,
Sweden will press forward with this on the agenda.
The ministers also decided to strengthen the Arctic Council by
establishing a secretariat to increase the ability of the Council to
address future challenges in the region. The secretariat will be located
in Tromso, Norway.
The Arctic Council unites Denmark, Iceland, Canada, Norway, Russia,
the United States, Finland, Sweden, and six associations of indigenous
peoples of the North.