WASHINGTON, D.C.
– Sen. Lisa Murkowski will join Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in making
history at this week’s Arctic Council meeting in Nuuk, Greenland – becoming the
first U.S. Senator and State Department Head to participate in the event.
“Alaska is the reason that America is an Arctic Nation,” said Murkowski, “and I
thank Secretary Clinton for the invitation to share my knowledge, experiences
and suggestions with the member nations.”
The main focus
of this week’s meeting is “Challenges and opportunities for the Arctic Council
in a changing Arctic,” but oil and gas development will play a major role, with
several member countries interested in – or engaged in – offshore drilling
projects. Also at the meeting, members will sign a “Search and Rescue” treaty,
pledging to collaborate in the case of a plane crash or other accident in Arctic
waters.
“The Arctic is
changing and we need to change our policies and thought processes accordingly,”
Murkowski added. “Less sea ice means more opportunity – for shipping, for
tourism, for development. The international community must take this moment
to listen to Alaska’s motto ‘North to the future’ and move forward
intelligently in the Arctic.”
The Arctic
Council is an intergovernmental association of eight member states with
territory inside the Arctic Circle. It was founded in 1995 and holds Ministerial
Meetings every two years at locations in Arctic nations. The 2009 meeting was
held in Tromso, Norway.
###