Maria Zakharova in Yamal: the Arctic must be out of war

The Arctic should remain a territory of peace and not become a zone of militaristic interests. This statement was made on the 10^th of December by the foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova at the press conference with journalists, who arrived at the international circumpolar Congress “Arctic Media World”, in Salekhard.

“We need to do everything to keep this region out of the war zone”, Zakharova said.

She also underlines that environmental issues often become a political tool.

“Ecology should not be played as a political card. Environmental issues should be solved for the benefit of people and not vice versa”, the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

As it should be noted, Maria Zakharova gathered full audience of journalists. Foreigners were particularly active. The atmosphere of the event was very open and friendly.

The program of the media congress consists of three plenary sessions devoted to ecology, preservation of traditions of indigenous peoples of the North and socioeconomic development of the Arctic. Among spokespeople there is the governor of Yamal Dmitry Artyukhov, the secretary of the Union of journalists in Finland Juha Rekola, deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vladimir Pushkaryov and Grigory Ledkov, the chairman of Barents Press Sweden Tim Andersson, scientists and politicians.

The Congress was initiated by the Union of journalists in Yamal and is supported by the Union of journalists of Russia, the Ministry of foreign affairs and the government of Yamal. More than 200 representatives of media communities, scientists, politicians, experts from all arctic territories of Russia and 24 circumpolar and other countries became the participants in the event.