Russia has said it does not recognise the US unilaterally declared outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that in this way Washington is trying to reduce the area of the maritime space under the jurisdiction of the world community and acquire additional areas of the shelf – about 1 million square metres – for its needs.
“The US unilateral steps do not comply with the rules and procedures established by international law. The Russian delegation criticised the US selective approach to the use of international law norms,” the ministry said in a statement.
Earlier, the State Duma said it was inadmissible to expand US borders in the Arctic.
Later, Deputy Speaker of the Council of the Russian Federation Konstantin Kosachev said that the claims of the United States to expand the continental shelf in the Arctic lacked international legal basis.