Russia and Canada could use advanced space technologies to help conduct rescue operations in the Arctic region, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told RIA Novosti at a news conference Friday.
"In the future, we will be able to use advanced space technologies, including dual-purpose technologies, which will make travel in this region safer," the Russian minister said after talks in Moscow with his Canadian counterpart Bill Graham.
The ministers said they had had a thorough discussion of Russian-Canadian cooperation in the Arctic region during their talks.
Graham said the annual Arctic Search and Rescue Exercise, ARCTIC SAREX, which involves Russian, Canadian and American rescuers, had been largely successful.
The Russian defense minister said Russia and Canada could be called two major Arctic powers.
"We not only cooperate on hockey ice, but also on Arctic ice," he said. "We are, indeed, two major Arctic powers."
Russia and Canada could exchange satellite data to improve monitoring of the Arctic region, he added.
A Defense Ministry official told RIA Novosti that Russia and Canada had been working on a bilateral agreement on search and rescue operations in the Arctic.
Copyright 2005 by Space Daily, Distributed United Press International
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