Circumpolar Infrastructure Task Force. Aviation Experts Meeting. Interim Report to the Arctic Council and the Northern Forum. February 25-27, 2002. Anchorage Alaska.

Abstract

"The Circumpolar Infrastructure Task force is officially conducted as an activity of both the Northern Forum (regional governments) and the Arctic Council (national governments). The declaration of the Senior Arctic Officials of the Arctic Council requests the following from the US/CITF: • That the CITF convene a network of aviation experts to discuss a range of topics in Arctic aviation, including links between Arctic regions and nations. • That the CITF continue to work with the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communication to refine and improve the document they presented on Arctic transport • That the CITF will consult, communicate and report with the Senior Arctic Officials which will enable them to make recommendations to the Ministers. • That the CITF will begin considering Arctic telecommunication problems with an approach resembling the aviation experts meeting In accordance with these requests from the Arctic Council, the CITF held a meeting in Anchorage, Alaska in February 2002. The meeting was attended by strong delegations from the United States, Canada and Russia. Finland and the United Kingdom were also represented. The following topics were on the agenda: • Aviation in the Arctic regions with particular focus on the United States Arctic, Alaska • Inter-regional aviation between the US Arctic, the Russian Far East, and the Canadian Arctic • Circumpolar Arctic aviation and global connections (transpolar air routes) • Aviation and recent developments in telecommunications and information technology" /.../