U. S. plans diplomatic position to highlight importance of Arctic
Secretary of State Kerry wants envoy to advance American interests
JUNEAU, Alaska — The U. S. State Department plans to create an Arctic representative position to highlight the growing importance of that region.
In letters sent to Alaska’s two U. S. senators, Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski, Secretary of State John Kerry said he planned to name a “high- level individual of substantial stature and expertise” to serve as Special Representative for the Arctic Region. He said he hoped to get input from both of them in creating the post and finding the right person.
“For a long time now, I’ve shared the view that the Arctic region really is the last global frontier, and the United States needs to elevate our attention and effort to keep up with the opportunities and consequences presented by the Arctic’s rapid transformation,” Kerry wrote in the letters, released by the senators’ offices on Friday.
“Properly managed, this region provides an opportunity for creative diplomatic leadership — but truly establishing and capitalizing on this leadership role will require making the Arctic region a higher U. S. priority; greater attention paid by senior policy- makers; and, in keeping with President Obama’s call for ‘ national unity of effort’ on the Arctic, co- ordination of operational departments.”
With the U. S. set to take over the rotating chairmanship of the eight- nation Arctic Council in 2015, Kerry said he believed it was vital to elevate Arctic issues and interests within the State Department.
In a separate statement, Kerry said the Arctic has “enormous and growing geostrategic, economic, climate, environment, and national security implications for the United States and the world.” He said the special representative, referred to by Begich as an Arctic ambassador, would play a critical role in advancing American interests in the region.
Kerry called the Arctic’s transformation “a very rare convergence of almost every national priority in the most rapidly changing region on the face of the earth.”
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Friday she had no personnel announcements to make, but she might soon.
Begich, a Democrat, and Murkowski, a Republican, have been pressing for an ambassador or envoy to the Arctic.
‘ This is not to take anything away from what the State Department has worked on. But they are just so inundated with so many international issues ( that) I believe the Arctic was slipping past us,” he said.
Other federal departments also “were kind of on their own path and not really focused on the long- term benefit of the Arctic. So this will really hone it in,” Begich said.