The North Pole prizes
August 8, 2007
 Arthur Chilingarov’s expedition was met at “Vnukovo” airport
Yesterday the reporters of “Vechernyaya Moskva Daily” met Russian Polar Explorers who proved Russia’s claim for the North Pole.
All the participants of the expedition headed by Arthur Chilingarov looked very tired. That is why a compulsory formal part of the event was minimized. But they got a lot of flowers. Some of us even had a kind of deja vu – as if the papaninities came back and a triumphant crowd was greeting them. By the way, this event was mentioned by the Head of the expedition.
The reporter of “Vechernyaya Moskva Daily” managed to ask Chilingarov a question “While you were diving in the vehicles “Mir” here the opinions’ battles broke out and some hotheads even called it “an ice war”. What do you think about it?”
 “There isn’t any war. We are scientists. The aims of the expedition were stated long before it started. By the way, your newspaper mentioned that as well. Everyone could see and read them. We have fulfilled the research part of the expedition. The polar explorers from all over the world who have even the slightest knowledge about polar exploration, back us. So I can see no conflict here. The fact is that we erected a small Russian flag at the Arctic Ocean bottom. I think no one can deny the fact. As for the research results, we will analyze them and present a detailed report to the world public…” answered Arthur Chilingarov.
Among the meeting public there was the Moscow City Duma Deputy Vladimir Platonov.
We were surprised to see him ”What are you doing here? Moscow City Duma is at the vacations, you are supposed to rest somewhere in the South”.
“First of all Vladimir Gruzdev, the State Duma Deputy, who dived with Arthur Chilingarov is from Moscow. We can’t help meeting him. Second, the event is truly outstanding. Russian Polar Explorers dived to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean at the North Pole. We are proud of it and it arouses our patriotism and makes us stronger. How can one miss it? That is why I am here with all these people. Look, how happy they are! It is our Pole, we, the Russians, explored it and Moscow also took part in the event”, answered Vladimir Platonov.
On our part, we would like to highlight that in the run-up to the expedition “VM Daily” published reprinted issues of the newspapers edited in 1937 and 1938 devoted to Papanin’s expedition and the unique flights of legendary Soviet pilots Gromov and Chkalov. MVK International Exhibition company helped us greatly in this campaign. The members of MVK team also took part in Chilingarov’s expedition. They will return to Moscow a bit later from Franz Josef Land and will tell our readers about the expedition in more details.
OFFICIALLY
Yesterday Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, saw the participants of Russian Polar expedition. As Arthur Chilingarov said, they had a friendly trustful talk with the President. The results of the expedition should become the base proofs in Russia’s claims for the Arctic shelf, stated Vladimir Putin.
Source: “Vechernyaya Moskva Daily”
http://www.vmdaily.ru/article.php?aid=37575
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