NUUK, Greenland — The United States, Russia and other nations were to sign an agreement Thursday to coordinate Arctic search-and-rescue missions, and begin planning how to prevent a catastrophic oil spill.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the meeting of the eight-nation Arctic Council, which also includes Russia, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland, will highlight the growing importance of the area where melting icecaps are opening new shipping routes, fishing grounds and oil and gas drilling.