VZCZCXYZ0029
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0657 2151353
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031353Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7310
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8413
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8239
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2865

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: RUSSIA'S CLAIM OVER THE ARTIC; SCO PAULO 
 
"Russia Concludes Mission In The Artic And Underscores Scientific 
And Political Feat" 
 
Liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo 
remarked (8/3): "The success of a Russian submarine expedition with 
strong political connotation excited that nation's scientific 
community. Two small submarines touched the bottom of the Artic 
Ocean under the frozen surface and literally placed a Russian flag 
there.... The expedition's goal was to collect material for 
scientific research and reinforce the Russian claim on the soil 
under the Artic Ocean.  The area is rich in oil and other minerals. 
'For me, it is like placing a flag on the moon,' said the spokesman 
of the Russian Artic and Antarctic Institute.  President Vladimir 
Putin had already underlined Russia's need to look for what he 
believes to be Russian rights in the Artic region.... The fact is 
that the area, which is officially considered international 
territory, has been claimed not only by Russia and Canada.  It was 
already claimed by the US, Denmark and Norway. The UN denied all 
these claims. But Russia believes that with the material collected 
yesterday it will prove that the area is a natural extension of its 
continental platform." 
Helling