TORONTO -- You probably missed it. With the new year focus on America's continued efforts to deal with U.S. President George W. Bush's three "evils" -- Iraq, Iran and North Korea -- you probably were not aware of the potential long-term international consequences of a speech by a Russian minister in January, in Canada.
The speech involved the development of a year-round sea route through the islands of Northwest Canada. But before we look at Russia's interest in this matter, a little background is in order.
First of all, the United States strongly denies that Canada has sovereignty over the waterways through the islands of Northwest Canada. From time to time it sends ships, and submarines, through the Northwest Passage, arguing that it does not have to ask permission to do so from the Canadian government because the routes are international. The European Union takes the same position.
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