US, Russia Can Do Better Job on Scientific Research in Arctic Region

The United States and Russia can work more effectively on the scientific research in the Arctic region, Commissioner David Benton with the United States Arctic Research Commission (USARC) told Sputnik on Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — The US commissioner explained that back in 2013 the United States and Russia decided to work on a scientific research program in the Chuckchi Sea involving US and Russian research vessels but the financial resources for that have not been found yet.

"The one place where we cooperate well but we could do a better job is in scientific research [in the Arctic region]," Benton said on the sidelines of the international conference dedicated to the international cooperation in the region underway in Moscow.

"But it’s a really great opportunity for Russia and the United States to enhance our ability to work with each other, to get the scientists working together on a very practical level," Benton said.

The two-day conference "International Cooperation in the Arctic: New Challenges and Vectors of Development" kicked off on Wednesday in the Russian capital with expert sessions devoted to the 20th anniversary of the eight-member Arctic Council, comprising of Russia, Norway, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden.