Arctic Council to discuss international cooperation and environmental challenges

New York Times : The Arctic Council, meeting today in Greenland, is expected to sign its first treaty on maritime search and rescue for the Arctic region. The councilwhich is composed of representatives from Canada, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the US, Sweden, and Finlandwas formed in 1996 to promote cooperation and coordination among the Arctic states on such issues as environmental protection and sustainable development. According to Steven Myers of the New York Times, “Officials said they hoped [the treaty] would become a model for increasing international cooperation in the Arctic on far more difficult issues as the pursuit of natural resources sharpens unresolved territorial disputes and raises the prospect of pollution and environmental catastrophes.” Among the attendees is US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is the first US secretary of state to attend one of the council’s biannual meetings.