WWF urges suspension of Arctic oil drilling

[Kshasty]

The World Wildlife Fund has called on Arctic states to suspend oil drilling in the region until the risk of accidents can be eliminated.

The Arctic Council is gathering in Russia's Vorkuta on Wednesday to discuss measures to prevent or contain oil drilling accidents in the wake of the catastrophic BP oil spill Gulf of Mexico in April.

"It is time for the Arctic states to recognize that offshore oil drilling with the current technology and response capacities poses unacceptable risks," Alexei Knizhnikov, Oil & Gas Environmental Policy Officer for WWF-Russia, said.

"Norway and the United States have already taken the first step, by putting off any further Arctic offshore drilling until an investigation into the Gulf disaster is over," he said.

http://www.en.rian.ru/Environment/20100616/159446053.html