Arctic nations meet in Greenland

ILULISSAT, Greenland, May 27 (UPI) -- Foreign ministers from five countries with Arctic coastal waters are meeting in Greenland to discuss claims to the region.

The BBC reported Tuesday that the meeting is designed to avert a rush for the Arctic's oil and gas reserves.

With rising temperatures, most of the Arctic could be ice-free in summer months, allowing for drilling. Additionally, the Northwest Passage could be opened up, providing a trade route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Denmark, which administers Greenland, wants the United States, Canada, Norway and Russia to abide by United Nations rules on land claims.

Under the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea convention, the five countries may be able to extend their sovereignty beyond the usual 200-nautical mile limit outlined in international law if the seabed is an extension of the continental shelf, the BBC reported.

The United States and Canada are in a dispute over ownership of the Northwest Passage, while Russia angered other Arctic countries last year when it planted a flag on the seabed under the North Pole, The Daily Telegraph reported.