Published: 25 January, 2009, 19:57
Edited: 25 January, 2009, 19:57
Prince Albert of Monaco and a Russian parliamentary delegation have completed a joint expedition to the Antarctic, visiting a number of stations in an effort to get familiar with the conditions there.
The 23-strong Russian delegation was headed by polar explorer, Artur Chilingarov. He’s also a Duma Deputy and presidential representative for Arctic and Antarctic international cooperation. His goal was to conduct an “inspection trip to Russian and foreign research stations”.
Based on the results of the expedition, recommendations on updates to Russia’s Antarctic policy will be made to the State Duma.
In addition, Chilingarov said he will lobby for an increase in the pensions paid to Russia’s polar researchers. He is also calling for the creation of a special aircraft that can take off on wheels and land on skis – based on the Ilyushin 114.
Chilingarov, 70, when appointed as presidential representative, said that he saw his main goal as strengthening scientific ties with foreign countries.
So when in December Albert II asked Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev for technical assistance in his polar plans, the idea of the joint expedition was born.
Although far from the South Pole, Monaco became the 47th country to sign the Antarctic Treaty in May 2008.
Albert of Monaco is one of the leading maritime and Polar researchers on the planet. And after acceding to the throne in 2005, the prince made global warming and awareness of climate change one of the main goals of his principality.
“This is one of the most sensitive regions in the world. Everything happening at the South Pole, like the North Pole, has repercussions everywhere on the planet,” he said during the build-up for this expedition, stressing that the voyage is “not only an old dream come true, but it's an opportunity to visit these stations and see the research”.
Albert II, 50, a proud winner of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) award, also said he want to be prepared to “if need be, pull the danger cord and have everybody join the efforts to better protect the environment in this particular region”.
This is already his second joint expedition with Russian explorers. In 2006 they reached the North Pole on dog carts.
In his desire to explore the ice caps, Albert II is following the example of his great grandfather Albert I.
Prince Albert II started his part of the current Antarctic voyage on January 4. And a visit to the Russian Antarctic research station Bellingshausen (see No.1 on the map) was one of the first stopping points on his schedule.
All eleven members of his group toured the station on January 5, getting acquainted with its programmes of environmental and atmospheric research.
The prince and his assistant returned to the station on January 6 and 7 to try out its newly constructed banya (steam bath) and attend a Christmas service at the station’s Orthodox church.
After a brief visit to South Chile, the Prince’s expedition returned to Antarctic on January 12 to conduct a two-day cross-country ski trip to the South Pole.
Overcoming foggy and windy conditions, as well as temperatures of -40C, Albert II’s three-man team, including a doctor and his friend, South African adventurer Mike Horn, reached the Pole on January 13.
Following a brief ceremony, the prince visited the U.S. Amundsen-Scott base not far from the Pole.
Meanwhile, the Russian delegation hit the Antarctic on January 17 at Novolazarevskaya (see No.4 on the map) station.
January 18 was probably the busiest day. Albert spent it almost entirely in the grip of Russian hospitality.
Arriving at Russia’s Vostok station (see No.7 on the map) his Highness presented Monaco State Medals to the station’s head Aleksey Turkeev, chief digger Nikolay Vasilyev and glacialist Vladimir Lipenkov.
He then became acquainted with the station’s research programme, which, among other things, assesses the biggest under-ice lake, located more then four kilometers below the surface and named after the station.
After spending two hours at Vostok, Albert II’s group flew to Australia’s Davis station and then to yet another Russian station – the Progress (see No.5 on the map).
From there he took a MI-8 helicopter flight to Belgium’s station Princess Elisabeth, where they met with Chilingarov and the rest of the Russian delegation.
In the following three days they visited three other stations – South Africa's SaNae IV, Norway's Troll and India's Maitri. On January 20, Albert II held a live videoconference with secondary school students in Monaco, who were able to ask the Prince questions, set up at the Principality’s Oceanographic Museum.
Then, on January 21, they returned to Novolazarevskaya to catch an Ilyushin 76 flight back to Cape town, South Africa.
According to Deputy Chairman of the Duma's Foreign Policy Committee, Leonid Slutsky, who was part of the Russian delegation, “Albert II was delighted by the Russian hospitality”.
Ruben Zarbabyan, RT