U.S. envoy says Northwest Passage is international territory

[Newsjock]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20061031.wwilkins1031/BNStory/National/

Ottawa — The issue of whether the Northwest Passage belongs to Canada or the world has put the current U.S. ambassador to Canada at odds with his predecessor.

Washington's representative in Canada, David Wilkins, says the U.S. position has not changed and the passage is international territory as far as the Bush administration is concerned.

That is in direct conflict with statements by former ambassador Paul Cellucci, who recently told a foreign affairs conference that the disputed waters in the North should be recognized as sovereign Canadian territory.

[spag68]

1. Sorry, I just don't care.

Let the canucks have it.

[davepc]

4. I think they have a legit claim. But that's billions of dollars in revenue

not to mention strategic real estate.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. Fucking vultures.

They just can't wait for the earth to be screwed up enough to exploit it even more. :grr:

[bahrbearian]

3. So does that mean the Alaskan portion is international too ?

[Ignacio Upton]

5. It's Canadian territory

But since global warming will make the Northwest Passage more desirable, I can see why the Bushies wants it.

[Spider Jerusalem]

6. But international waters, if navigable.

As is any transshipment route from one point to another on the high seas (save in time of war). Any Canadian move to declare effective sovereignty by establishing a naval presence to deny passage in time of peace sets a bad precedent re navigable straits (if Spain did this with the Strait of Gibraltar, or India with the Strait of Malacca, it would cause an international incident).

[AlGore-08.com]

7. We'll all be dead, but Exxon'll have them oil rights first, d*mn it!!

eom

[depakid]

8. Yet another brilliant diplomatic move

All of the Americans who heat their poorly insulated houses with Canadian natural gas will be really thrilled with the results if (and when) this sort of arrogance continues.

[truthisfreedom]

9. rising waters due to global warming will increase the width to allow two

ships to pass in the night, as nature intended.

[saigon68]

10. LOL Outrageous