Word: spitsbergen
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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What are the Soviets up to? Anders Sjaastad of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs believes that "the incidents are linked to the Soviets' antisubmarine efforts." The Russians maintain a line of undersea sonar devices across the Arctic waters that separate Norway from Spitsbergen Island. NATO also has an underwater sensing line that extends westward from Vardo toward Greenland. One supposition is that the ships are somehow involved in a project to upgrade the Soviet antisubmarine spy system. Another is that they would like to tamper with?possibly eavesdrop on?NATO signals...
...forbidding island of Spitsbergen is another bone of contention. The Soviets keep pressing Oslo for a "special arrangement" that would enhance their economic rights on the island, which was demilitarized in 1920 by a 40-nation treaty and placed under Norwegian sovereignty. Rebuffed, Moscow nonetheless insists on maintaining 3,400 Russians on Spitsbergen (v. 1,000 Norwegians), most of whom are military men disguised as civilians. Under the treaty, their presence on the island is perfectly legal, so long as they obey Norwegian laws. One of their assignments: to discourage Norwegian interest in the Kola Peninsula's military installations...