Russia calls for equal cooperation in Arctic region - Putin

MOSCOW. March 27 (Interfax) - International Arctic cooperation is facing hard times, but Russia is ready to interact on regional issues with whoever is ready for cooperation, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"Unfortunately, current international cooperation in the northern latitudes is not experiencing the best of times. In previous years many western nations embarked on confrontation course and stopped scientific, educational and cultural contact. The dialogue about the preservation of Arctic ecosystems was discontinued," Putin said at an international Arctic forum on Thursday.

Russia is for equal cooperation in the region, including scientific research, bio diversity protection, climate protection, disaster response and the economic and industrial exploration of the Arctic region, he said.

"We are ready for joint work not only with Arctic states, but with all those who, like us, shares responsibility for a stable and sustainable future of our planet and can make balanced decisions for decades to come," Putin said.

In some countries, politicians and party activists are talking about the importance of the climate agenda and environmental protection but in reality do otherwise, he said.

It was cooperation on the ecology, prevention and joint response to disasters beyond the Polar Circle that the Arctic Council was created for, but now "this mechanism has degraded," he said.

"Russia never refused from communication in this format, it was the choice of our Western partners, Western states. As [people] say in such cases: you don't have to if you don't want it, we will work with those who do ourselves," Putin said.

The Arctic region's role and importance is growing both for Russia and for the whole world, but the geopolitical struggle in the region is increasing, Putin said.