Север и рынок. 2023, № 2.

СЕВЕР И РЫНОК: формирование экономического порядка. 2023. № 2. С. 189-200. Sever i rynok: formirovanie ekonomicheskogo poryadka [The North and the Market: Forming the Economic Order], 2023, no. 2, pp. 189-200. НАУЧНЫЕ СООБЩЕНИЯ The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)5 was founded in Washington on 4 April 1949. As of 4thApril 2023, NATO has 31 member countries. In 1949, there were 12 founding members of the Alliance: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. Since then, 19 more countries have joined the Alliance: Greece and Turkey (1952); Germany (1955); Spain (1982); Czechia, Hungary and Poland (1999); Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia (2004); Albania and Croatia (2009); Montenegro (2017); North Macedonia (2020); Finland (2023). Sweden has the status of NATO Invitee. The European Union Commission is a member of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council6, and party to UNCLOS and all its connected agreements directly, or indirectly are related to the Arctic. The European Union is represented at the Arctic Council either via European Arctic Council State members (so Denmark, Finland, and Sweden), or via its Observer states (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain). Since the EU Commission is a supranational body and not an intergovernmental organization, it does not meet the criteria established by the Arctic Council to acquire Observer status. As part of the process of constantly expanding its policy remit, the EU Commission has long sought a bigger role in Arctic issues. However, when it comes to the Arctic Council, Canada (because of the EU's position against the seal trade) and Russia (because of European economic sanctions over Russia's armed conflict with Ukraine) have traditionally been opposed to EU membership of the Arctic Council in any form—including as an Observer. At the Kiruna Ministerial Meeting in 2013, the Arctic Council received the application of the EU for Observer status affirmatively, but deferred a final decision. Until such time as Ministers of the Arctic States may reach a final decision, the EU's application is in a state of limbo, it is allowed to sit in and watch council proceedings, but it is not allowed to participate in them7. In September 2022, Clara Ganslandt took up the role as Special Envoy for Arctic matters. Her role is to drive forward the EU's Arctic policy, enhance cooperation with partner countries and other interested parties, improve coordination between the different EU institutions, mainstream Arctic issues in policy-making, and promote and publicise the EU's Arctic engagement externally8. 5 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation https://www.britannica.com/topic/ North-Atlantic-Treaty-Organization. 6 The Barents Euro-Arctic Council. URL: https://barents-council.org/about- us/international-arctic-barents-and-northern-cooperation. 7 The Heritage Foundation, Global Politics, Why the US should oppose Observer status for the EU in the Arctic, 25.04.2019 https://www.heritage.org/global-politics/report/why-the-us-should-oppose- observer-status-the-european-union-the-arctic#:~:text=Since%20the% 20EU%20Commission%20is,observer%20in %20the%20Arctic%20Council. 8The EU in the Arctic, https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/eu-arctic_en. 9 The rising importance of Non-Arctic States in the Arctic. URL: https://www.wilsonquarterly.com/quarterly/the-new-north/the-rising- importan ce-of-non-arctic-states-in-the-arctic. Our analysis shows that among countries with geopolitical interest in the Arctic, India is not involved in most of the international geopolitical memberships and has Observer status to the Arctic Council (Figure 1). There are thirteen Arctic Council Observer states: Germany (1998), Netherlands (1998), Poland (1998), United Kingdom (1998), France (2000), Spain (2006), China (2013), India (2013), Italy (2013), Japan (2013), South Korea (2013), Singapore (2013), Switzerland (2017). It is a testament to the growing importance of the Council that additional states, such as the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, and Turkey, are interested in becoming Observer9. The Russian-Ukraine conflict in 2022 saw an immediate "pausing" of all activities within the Arctic Council. This was followed by Canada, Finland, Iceland, the Kingdom of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the United States announcing a limited resumption of work within the Arctic Council on projects that did not involve the participation of the Russia Federation10. The legitimacy of such a limited Artic Council resumption without the involvement of Russia was questioned by Gao Feng, China's special envoy for Arctic Affairs11. In April 2023, China has offered to play a constructive role in helping Norway to efficiently restore the councils functions and cooperation between all parties12. The cessation of scientific engagement with Russia presents a practical problem. Geographically, Russia stretches across 53 per cent of the Arctic Ocean coastline and its Arctic population accounts for nearly half of the population living in the Arctic worldwide13. Its physical presence in the Arctic cannot be ignored. Russia is a major stakeholder in the Arctic. A constant accumulation of data from sensors distributed all over the Arctic is needed. Without continuously providing updated data from across the Arctic, it is impossible to create mathematical models of climate change that predict environmental impacts as well as further global changes [3]. Without mathematical models, it is impossible to study the mechanism of unpredictable consequences of climate change in the Arctic and distant non-Arctic States. On balance, it can be observed that this schism, preventing data exchange between the West and Russia is irrational and not in the long-term interests of both the Arctic and non-Arctic States [3]. The geopolitical changes that took place in 2022 are given in the Table 1. 10Government of Canada Joint statement on limited resumption of Arctic Council cooperation https://www.canada.ca/en/global-affairs/news/2022/ 06/joint-statement-on-limited-resumption-of-arctic-council-cooperation.html. 11Arctic Today, China will not recognize an Arctic Council without Russia https://www.arctictoday.com/china-will-not-recognize-an- arctic-council-without-russia-envoy-says/. 12The High North News. China Wants To Support Norway in Restoring the Artic Council. 28.04.2023. https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/china-wants- support-norway-restoring-arctic-council. 13The Arctic Council, The Russian Federation, Quick Facts, https://arctic- council.org/about/states/russian-federation/. ©Туинова С. С., Бакстер К., 2023 192