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Sunday 05.02.2012

Conflict in the Arctic?

Russia may face wars on its borders in the near future over control of energy resources, a Kremlin document on security policy says.

Russia may face wars on its borders in the near future over control of energy resources, a Kremlin document on security policy said Wednesday.



Russia, the world's biggest energy producer, shares a border of more than 3,600 km with China and a small sea border with the United States.

"In a competition for resources, problems that involve the use of military force cannot be excluded that would destroy the balance of forces close to the borders of the Russian Federation and her allies," said the document, which maps out Russia's security strategy until 2020.

"The attention of international politics in the long-term perspective will be concentrated on the acquisition of energy resources," the paper said.

It said regions where such a competition for resources could arise included the Middle East, the Barents Sea, the Arctic, the Caspian Sea and Central Asia. Russia also sees increased competition for food, fresh water and land.

The strategy document was approved by President Dmitry Medvedev Tuesday and published Wednesday by the Russian Security Council, which includes Russia's top politicians and intelligence chiefs and is chaired by Medvedev.