Arctic Boundary Dispute May Heat Up With U.S.

The Law of the Sea treaty came into effect in 1994 and has now been ratified by 152 countries as well as the European Union. Canada ratified it in 2003. The U.S. has voluntarily complied with its provisions but has never signed it. But last week, President George W. Bush issued a release supporting the treaty and urging the Senate to approve it. "(The treaty) will secure U.S. sovereign rights over extensive marine areas, including the valuable natural resources they contain," Bush said. One of the areas Bush likely has in mind is the water along the border between Alaska and the Yukon. Canada has long insisted the international border continues through the ocean in a straight line from the land. The U.S. argues instead that the border angles 30 degrees to the east. The area is considered to have high oil and gas potential. Alaska has put exploration rights to the block up for sale several times, but no company has bid on it while its nationality remains disputed. The Law of the Sea treaty allows signatories to establish jurisdiction over offshore resources based on how far their continental shelf extends under the sea. Signing on to the treaty would set the rules for negotiating the location of the border, said Huebert. "It's all about getting in line for when the inevitable division of the Arctic comes into play. The Americans know we're serious about the determination of our continental shelf." The rest of the article: © The Canadian Press, 2007 Story from TELUS NEWS: http://www.mytelus.com/ncp_news/article.en.do?pn=regional/alberta&articleID=2670886

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