9 N# `* T* s0 ~5 {$ Z1 m4 MA Russian NTV channel TV grab shows the Mir-1 mini-submarine as it dives into the water of the Arctic Ocean. Canada dismissed Russia's flag-planting at the North Pole on Thursday as a "15th century" stunt that does not bolster its disputed claim to the resource-rich Arctic.[Photo: AFP/NT]
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The United States said on Thursday that Russia's flag-planting in Arctic has no legal standing to claim for rights to the mineral-rich region.
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"I'm not sure of whether they've put a metal flag, a rubber flag or a bed sheet on the ocean floor," State Department spokesman Tom Casey said of an expedition by two Russian submarines to the floor of the Arctic Ocean.
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. K$ p/ r& t# m* }. v+ @2 tIt was reported that Russians had planted a banner of rust-proof titanium as a symbol of Moscow's claim over a vast expanses of the Arctic floor.
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1 D6 p; h! F7 i- M/ O2 u; y4 T8 p"Either way, it doesn't have any legal standing or effect on this claim," Casey said, noting "it certainly to us doesn't represent any kind of substantive claim, and I certainly haven't heard anyone else make the argument that it does."
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Casey made the remarks after Russian mini-subs completed their visit to the seabed under the North Pole.
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/ b! l) {: F- U" fRussian President Vladimir Putin called the mission participants after their return, congratulating them on a successful mission, the Kremlin said.
