Norway allows Russia to conduct parts of a research cruise, but not in Svalbard’s territorial waters.

Norway allows Russia to conduct parts of a research cruise, but not in Svalbard’s territorial waters.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the Russian embassy in Norway that they will only allow parts of a research cruise with the research vessel Dalnie Zelentsy to be completed.

The permit only applies to the portion of the research cruise that takes place outside of Norwegian territorial waters; however, Russia has refused to carry out the portion of the research cruise that was supposed to take place in Svalbard territorial waters and to allow the ship to collect sedimentary bottom samples on the Norwegian continental shelf.

According to State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the application was processed in accordance with maritime law, which gives Norway the right to refuse marine research within its territorial waters.