Russian Flag at the North Pole
(2018) p.410-418- Abstract
- Russia’s planting of a flag on the seabed at the North Pole in 2007 set off a flurry of concern about its maritime and territorial ambitions and the potential for international conflict in the Arctic. However, the law of the sea now renders moot traditional rules of the doctrine of discovery and occupation as manifestations of sovereignty. Thus, the Russian flag at the North Pole is meaningless in the legal sense. Nevertheless, it is not irrelevant. On the one hand, it has catalyzed the development of a ‘law habit’ among the Arctic states now reflected in cooperation on scientific and technical work to support their overlapping outer continental-shelf claims to the Arctic seabed and on other Arctic Ocean matters. On the other hand, it has... (More)
- Russia’s planting of a flag on the seabed at the North Pole in 2007 set off a flurry of concern about its maritime and territorial ambitions and the potential for international conflict in the Arctic. However, the law of the sea now renders moot traditional rules of the doctrine of discovery and occupation as manifestations of sovereignty. Thus, the Russian flag at the North Pole is meaningless in the legal sense. Nevertheless, it is not irrelevant. On the one hand, it has catalyzed the development of a ‘law habit’ among the Arctic states now reflected in cooperation on scientific and technical work to support their overlapping outer continental-shelf claims to the Arctic seabed and on other Arctic Ocean matters. On the other hand, it has clearly signalled a claim to an advantageous negotiating position. The flag is thus a physical manifestation of both the power and pretence of international law. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2f94d8e6-96cd-4681-89f5-b3686cc5919c
- author
- Rayfuse, Rosemary LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2018
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Internationell rätt, International law
- host publication
- International Law's Objects
- editor
- Hohmann, Jessie and Joyce, Daniel
- pages
- 410 - 418
- publisher
- Oxford University Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85134933353
- ISBN
- 9780198798200
- DOI
- 10.1093/oso/9780198798200.003.0035
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2f94d8e6-96cd-4681-89f5-b3686cc5919c
- date added to LUP
- 2019-06-14 14:36:28
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 15:10:49
@inbook{2f94d8e6-96cd-4681-89f5-b3686cc5919c,
abstract = {{Russia’s planting of a flag on the seabed at the North Pole in 2007 set off a flurry of concern about its maritime and territorial ambitions and the potential for international conflict in the Arctic. However, the law of the sea now renders moot traditional rules of the doctrine of discovery and occupation as manifestations of sovereignty. Thus, the Russian flag at the North Pole is meaningless in the legal sense. Nevertheless, it is not irrelevant. On the one hand, it has catalyzed the development of a ‘law habit’ among the Arctic states now reflected in cooperation on scientific and technical work to support their overlapping outer continental-shelf claims to the Arctic seabed and on other Arctic Ocean matters. On the other hand, it has clearly signalled a claim to an advantageous negotiating position. The flag is thus a physical manifestation of both the power and pretence of international law.}},
author = {{Rayfuse, Rosemary}},
booktitle = {{International Law's Objects}},
editor = {{Hohmann, Jessie and Joyce, Daniel}},
isbn = {{9780198798200}},
keywords = {{Internationell rätt; International law}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{410--418}},
publisher = {{Oxford University Press}},
title = {{Russian Flag at the North Pole}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198798200.003.0035}},
doi = {{10.1093/oso/9780198798200.003.0035}},
year = {{2018}},
}