years on death row but how many more exonerations is it going to take before we as a society realize that this is not working and we actually do something about. that word. after almost seven years confined to the ecuadorian embassy in london the u.k. police dragged julian assange is from his safe haven and placed him under arrest. not above the law and no hero while the british prime minister and officials praise i could offer for ending a soldier's asylum the whistleblowing community branded a dark day for journalism. its precision means that any journalist can be extradited for prosecution in the united states for having published truthful information about the united states this is a dark day of journalism. in our faces extradition to the u.s.

where the justice department has revealed he's wanted for allegedly conspiring to hire government computers. versatility dot com for more coverage of the developing story surrounding the arrest of julius. sophia and co-hosts the former president of iceland for an in-depth discussion on the future of the region see again what i was taught. a welcome to soviet. as to race for the arctic is gaining ground more countries are seeking to expand their presence there is the world's coldest place turning into a major hot spot while i ask. former president of iceland. the harsh cold of the seas or around the north pole has long frozen any conflicts between the on. the natural resources right for each structure with countries known

even bordering the arctic staking a claim for its riches those diplomacy stand a chance against the promise of a new northern gold rush with the melting ice melt down the decades of consensus and peace in the arctic circle president clinton thank you so much for being on our program today a pleasure to have you as our guest thank you hear some of you have saved my compound has actually sat that washington needs to be engaged in the arctic because otherwise russia and china's growing domination in the region is quote a threat to freedom loving nations like iceland and the united states do you feel like your country is somehow being threatened no we don't quite frankly. and the push issue. for ticket don't forget the united states military base. for more than half a century. during the george w. bush administration are they close to tone so part of actually why it

a washington was telling the rest of the world thought it was no such a dangerous place that there was a need to go to war in the far away places they were telling us that the mortar gnostic neighborhood was no so peaceful and secure america could remove their military oppressions completely of the left so as we don't have any armed forces of our own for now almost a decade there has not been a single soldier in iceland of course the problem. but of course it is important to have the your gates the office the big arctic stage russia the united states in the arctic corp and the good news is despite conflicts in all the parts of the world russia and america have together with the rest of us managed to conclude treaty and agreements on the arctic by sun

difficult as you know the pulse of the world during my general ship of the arctic circle which i stopped six years ago i am also very much aware of the growing interest of china japan and korea frogs. in the arctic so to go the the your ocean brushed the rushed of the arctic states including our own have also to come to go though or not coherent policy with respect to what i call the new war rival the arctic from asia and also from the european continent and the topic of this were surely tensions between them always come up in context of the arctics and how that would affect the situation their trust most recent national security strategy prairie taxes the so-called great power grab really in pentagon is actually currently working on the arctic defense strategy what do you

think this could lead to i mean no one wants war and that's where sure but is this is to nation where no one wants a war. but everyone just pumps funds into a cold weather we are in fact talking about the part of the planet which is almost the military mobile from the cold war to this part of the planet. let the stuff distinguishing different parts of the arctic and i shant climbs the by the arctic into three parts which. the western often which is primarily are lost on the north and probably just the kind that you have the east and often which is predominantly russia seven time zones little part of finland them sweden and then you have the center out we should basically if you wish more countries like greenland ice on the norway the following lots but the big ocean territory as well

these three parts are very different and when you want to talk about defense and security a military issue is you have to distinguish between these parts i sometimes jokingly say to my american friends. you have been preoccupied by what's happening on new york yacht the border with mexico but you pay better little attention to what's happening in your pocket. because there are the ice is melting and during the summer months anybody on a boat can enter the united states in the coast of alaska so it is in fact inevitable that the us would stop to pay more attention to the infrastructure their capabilities in the arctic in alaska in the same way it is inevitable an understandable thought russia. giving the coach comic importance of the russian

author to the russian economy will build capability infrastructure security mechanism in the arctic so yes actually norway is foreign defense minister also said that there is nothing surprising and wrong with this military presence in the arctic and it doesn't mean that there's a threat it's normal because the arctic is such an important region like you have just pointed out do you think this situation in the arctic could be similar to what's going on in the south china sea where china and you know the states are demonstrating top abilities but not of absolutely the optional care not. don't look at norway and russia shoal the major territorial dispute in the arctic with a treaty which both countries agreed to and if you look at border disputes in the after. most of them are between canada and the united states and canada and the

kingdom of the. so if us canada that mine managed to hold their border disputes in the arctic we would really almost have a free border dispute. and of course taking mobile flight from this house on is to norse the pack of we have the law of the she thought every arctic states follows even the us a while they have more to formally signed it. and this determines in quite definite way the rights and the op locations of all these countries and watch even more remarkable even if the world has not notice it very much of the last year russia united states all the arctic states also china japan korea the e.u. managed to conclude the treaty on the arctic ocean how not only are we in the arctic including us and russia but also these asian powers on the e.u.

are going to combine the ocean resources of the emerging arctic ocean and the doctor i think a shy of how the possibilities in the arctic are not being prevented from being realized because of some some tension but you are right. the need for what i call an hunched capabilities in the arctic could lead to serious of misunderstandings about whether it's a military shake should know whether it is threatening and that's why i have advocated to recently that we need to cut down agreement on infrastructure capabilities stomped out in the arctic what is normal wast is understandable and what will then stop the conscience of the threat if it goes beyond. stage because if we don't have show some agreed stand up or capabilities those who want to winter

do their mongering an old cold war model into the arctic of a much arctic council is something that focuses on scientific research and rescue and search operations but it doesn't necessarily focus on security given the situation in the arctic now do you think maybe we need an organization where all these countries just can't land on well i believe very strongly in the twenty first century we have a bailable torsion new model of international corporation where you don't have to have the shame institutional structure to tread to the lunches surgery and i will explain that you mentioned the arctic council the arctic controversial intergovernmental body of the arctic stage with a number of options. but i had to gather all the arctic partners created in two holes and those are the arctic shore coal which is an open international platform

where any state can come china japan korea showing up or france germany italy which a lot of the mothers or business companies or and my own mental organization or the shame level and interest your projects on the bishop but also be excitement. in the public square and anybody can ask them questions and this us turned out to be a better show just for models so now every year in iceland in october we have over two thousand petition puns it's a lot just on your international gathering on the often from more than sixty countries where all these countries i mentioned have accepted to shun the delegation representing their policies on the proto and then to answer questions from anybody in the oath you whether to show young children an activist or a political leader and in addition to please we organize full remission all the parts of the world more unscathed but though very prominent last december we had

one in korea we will have one in china next month on china on the arctic we will follow up to the forum and from previous debut on in washington on the russia and u.s. relations in the arctic and counted up on all this. and all of this together with other arctic other things council we have all these publish where those countries some of the participants are players come together in an open transparent accountable dialogue and i believe very strongly that this is one of the reasons why the arctic husband shots are crushed fresh for territory of corporations because that dialogue has been open it's not just with dip whether you are conscientious decision or did your knowledge door scientist on my own mentalist or lead their over russian to reach your like yama limit shaw more month kwok and all this everybody can come of the same level so what i find interesting about the

arctic progress in the last ten to fifteen years is that we in addition to the arctic corp we have demonstrated a new global model of dealing with challenges on tosh come on and so far we have. we preachers are just present take a break right now when we're back we'll continue talking to all of your. former president obama about what's going on in the arctic today stay with us. says i remain very much opposed to military intervention i am opposed to it because

i fundamentally do not believe it is in u.s. interest there are several issues at play in venezuela one is the terrible terrible humanitarian state into which venezuela has fallen under the regime of the first two were childish and now nuclear smuggling alone in my opinion is not a justification for an american invasion. and.

we're back with all our war ragnar bramsen former president and then there's always a big topic of the air temperature change at say arctic which is by the. but the guess is it's going to rise five to ten percent by two thousand and eighty and that would mean that vast spaces with mineral. resources would be accessible. and that's changing the whole picture said you think this whole ramping up of the presence in the arctic is really about being in the right place at the right time. well they are at the arctic circle forum in china in the launch time we will have plenty shush on what's called three things shifting the pollution and chinese on moderation shoes to use whether it's in india oh indonesia or japan or korea is probably among the great to stretch to the future of the author. but without

a comprehensive clean energy transformation in a shoe in africa as well as the americas of europe we will continue to see the arctic ice melt. of the greenland ice sheet. total sham extend the future of the arctic will be defined in a shia and enough for a cuppa and if these parts of the world continue to pollute the planet of course they will continue to smoke the resources will become more more available and that's just one of the reason why i have always encouraged the in a moment of the asian countries some of those in the few debates on the future of the earth to. because whether we like a film on the arctic is no more pro bowl and perhaps any all the parts of the planet because if you want to have the arctic will determine the she level of the extreme weather patterns all over the world. and the force of your that you should

in all the parts of the world will determine the future of the arctic more them the decisions of the russian government of the american government or the i phone the quote so we're going to talk about the asian involvement in china in the limit but before that i want to ask you a question about europe there's so much talk about securing you energy right now do you maybe think that arctics reach reserves could be the key actually and maybe. that would be the long awaited diversification for the european union so i think on the one hand you she continue your wish dependency on the arctic and it usually is but on the other the lower cost for a new opel pleat energy of the technological term formation of the smart grid. is also creating a long arm of the rage where countries and continents become energy independent

through the usual resources so i think though she'll want economically to to do find their future on the basis that they will have a revenue from paul show fewer resources in the arctic for the next fifty years most of say hundred years to take a shot. of the picture i want to talk about russia a little bit and i mean with talks about it has seemingly moved further just right now in developing its acting cap abilities and there are investments involved as well but when it comes to gas and oil deposits europe can be an american can be involved because of the sanctions but china can do you think europe and united states are missing and window opportunity here was difficult to say one of the. option ratios that i have been able to. witness. is the trunk formation over russia in the arctic when i first came to russia pressure them in

two thousand and two the federal government of russia was not particularly interested in the author it was primarily a conscious of of the governor bush and even then president clinton because of the full should his first period those preston referred me to talking to the government to talk about the future of the author i have also attended all the arctic territory of course at the conference the first one in moscow or relatively smaller conferences in one. medium sized lecture hall. university paged operation in moscow and if you compare the. with the spectacle we now have here in some petersburg in terms of the international participation of this great action be sure of the discussion of the important for the future of the russian economy. change. and that should not be underestimated

how russia has come into arctic awareness on arctic economy on an arctic political due to ship in the last fifteen years is a revolution or a transformation of the role of russia to be fair i think when you came in two thousand and two russian was still sort of coming out of the really tough ninety's period where we didn't have no money in your labor is russia going on leaving russia i'm simply making the point and i could give you all the example the arrival of china upon korea in the arctic is a mother example i am simply saying in the last ten or fifteen years we have sheet monumental changes in the arctic so most people have this picture of the arctic it's a staple changing rather remold part of the world it is probably the part of the planet where we have seen in geo political terms in economic terms in scientific terms the more shift transformative

picture that will affect the future much more than what has happened on the european continent on the other post of the world and that is why i say to many people nobody nobody come out predict how the arctic will walled in the next ten or fifteen or twenty years that to me. is a passionate thing are suspect of the arctic put issue patient because coming bottom my previous point the arctic being the size of off recover this is the first time in human history both of the challenge and the opportunity to do you find the structural corp forces. a large part of the planet there of course the united states and russia have to pay a great deal oh ok but there's also china's involvement that we brought a couple of times with you i know yes i have been and then people are saying we are wary of the chinese takeover of the ark you know chinese china is not

a the arctic state and it's very actively going into so what are your thoughts i have also been privileged to work in the last ditch i don't know on this china. some very minute you have made the reasons for being interested conscient uninvolved in the arctic first of all the polar institute of child has done extensive research to make the chinese leadership realize that they are. melting of the arctic. courses extreme weather patterns in china with monumental destruction of the in the last ten years. only a few months only a few months later shackled to like the polarity shochu pointed out with the continuity melting of the greenland ice sheet more stole the shish and salt in china will be uninhabitable during this century show. the climate changes in the arctic constitute a threat to infrastructure and to

a whole sheet fish in china secondly. becoming the largest economy on the planet it is inevitable they will take a look of the resource rich area likely off like every big economy has taken a look at resources from all the possible world certainly with the north and she wrote opening up and shortening the dishes but you can china europe america japan in arctic cooperation and so far this rodeo frankly i have not seen any shine and i'm probably worked more this china on the arctic than most of the people i have not seen any shot of any other carrier aggression motive from the chinese leadership with respect to the often so i just wonder what it could do to. the balance of powers in the region.

as the ice melt navigation is becoming easier said currently make maritime traffic counts to eighty percent of the global trade in terms of volume could a chinese policy could get this region like a whole new strategic meaning well look we in europe of the things will settle show you in. the future of the global economy this. will be determined in issue whether we like a little and that is often the reason why i point out to people when they bring up china like you did. extensive optic pollution. they are building the. containers bring the us from shop at the. new europe korea formal polish it wishes call korea polar issue in two thousand and fifteen they have

a thirty year supply with respect to the oft. in the arctic circle the forum initialed to your power and trouble to all the way to a top or to make a keen old polish breach of the opening of the arctic circle simply for all the mates your power your power in korea and now do really in wall in the show in the yardstick. of the the emphasis in the global economy moving towards we should not look at that ocean of threat we should look at the spec off the global economic transformation and then i'm gauge with these countries about the responsible constructive behavior in the arctic absolutely but and once again i'm just talking about the balance of powers here one more time because it seems like china's aspirations in terms of the cargo transit through the arctic is really just aimed mainly at europe the prospect of arctic trade and a pushing the e.u.

tour it's been seen from washington economically is it possible but of course it is possible but the bottom of the fact is. russia shipment time shown should the ought to. it's a very short reshot rich part of the hindi a shoe polish on russia with respect to the office show far. the corporate pocket of america. the political party of america us not woken up to the future potential of the arctic when i tell my french in motion talk about what's china japan and korea doing i even. do this exercise often in my meetings in america i ask people how many of you have heard of up with and very few people put their hands up so i think the question is shipley this does

america want to be a part of this global transformation and nobody country shyte the except the united states all of us including russia it's a preach be a part of it please come on join us on the from some germany and the asian polish in creating a constructive prosperous responsible future in the arctic but if they for their corporate the recession should move on wall street or for political reasons and moved on. to all the things there's no power that we have that's come true change that and then europe chose to write the end result could be that in twenty years time the rest of the world has moved to an extensive optic corporation and the us sean paul is left behind and that is why i find it a kind of a wake up call that at this conference here you will have. all the nordic countries represented either by presidents prime ministers or foreign

ministers cooperating with russia and talking with russia on the future of the arctic he spied conflicts over all the parts of the world all these leaders all the nordic countries have found it necessary to come to some people's book the one with russia on the field. thank you very much for the. break said.

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