115 



-7- 



COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS. IN THE LATE 1980S, THE SOVIET UNION 

 BEGAN EXPRESSING INTEREST IN REGION-WIDE ARCTIC COOPERATION FOR 

 THE FIRST TIME, OPENING THE DOOR TO PROSPECTS FOR SUCH 

 COOPERATION. AS A RESULT, THE ARCTIC COUNTRIES - FINLAND, 

 CANADA, DENMARK (GREENLAND), ICELAND, NORWAY, SWEDEN, RUSSIA, 

 AND THE U.S. - ARE NOW COOPERATING MORE CLOSELY THAN EVER 

 BEFORE . 



THERE ARE ALSO TWO INTERNATIONAL FORA WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO 

 THE ISSUE BEFORE US TODAY. THE FIRST IS THE INTERNATIONAL 

 ARCTIC SCIENCE COMMITTEE (lASC), FOUNDED IN AUGUST 1990. lASC 

 IS A NON-GOVERNMENTAL SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED TO 

 ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATION AND 

 COOPERATION FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH CONCERNED WITH THE ARCTIC. 

 IT IS COMPRISED OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM EIGHT ARCTIC COUNTRIES 

 WHICH ARE FOUNDING MEMBERS, PLUS SIX OTHERS WHICH HAVE 

 DEMONSTRATED SUBSTANTIAL RESEARCH IN ARCTIC SCIENCE - THE 

 UNITED KINGDOM, GERMANY, FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS, POLAND, AND 

 JAPAN. lASC CONSISTS OF A COUNCIL, A REGIONAL BOARD, WORKING 

 GROUPS, AMD A SECRETARIAT. HEADQUARTERED IN OSLO, NORWAY. THE 

 U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TO lASC IS THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 



