Russia to ratify sea deal with Norway with reservations

MOSCOW, March 25 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian State Duma is likely to
ratify the agreement with Norway on delimitation in the Barents Sea and
the Arctic Ocean on Friday, but is likely to make reservations to the
document as it fears possible unilateral Norwegian actions that may be
detrimental for Russian fishing.
The agreement ends the 40-year old dispute between the two countries
and Russian chief negotiator Roman Kolodkin said it fully suits the
Russian interests. The committee on international affairs proposed to
ratify the agreement.
However the committee on natural resources said Russian fishermen fear
Norway "may unilaterally adopt such fishing regulation measures in the sea
areas which it gets that will make Russian fishing impossible not only in
the exclusive economic zone, but also in the sea areas of the Spitsbergen
Archipelago." The committee fears Norway may cancel trawl fishing in the
area which accounts for 95 percent of the Russian haul.
Although the committee backed ratification, it also called to consider
"possible negative consequences of the agreement for the Russian fishing
industry and ways to minimize them."
The State Duma security committee also called "to prevent unilateral
interpretation" of the agreement by Norway and add a special statement to
the ratification law.
The draft special statement reads thedelimitation agreement "does not
cancel the Russian position regarding non-recognition of the 200-mile fish
protection zone unilaterally established by Norway around Spitsbergen."
The State Duma committee on the affairs of the North and the Far East
also expressed corresponding concern in a statement.
First deputy chairman of the committee on international affairs Leonid
Slutsky told Tass the accompanying statement says the ratification "shall
not negatively affect each party in the fishing sphere." "We recommended
ratifying the agreement on such a position," he said.
Norway ratified the agreement in February.