A. Vylegzhanin

V. Salygin

• Affiliation: Moscow state Institute of international relations (U), Russian foreign Ministry
  
• Address: Russian Federation

I. Dudykina

• Affiliation: Moscow state Institute of international relations (U), Russian foreign Ministry
  
• Address: Russian Federation

E. Kienko

• Affiliation: Moscow state Institute of international relations (U), Russian foreign Ministry
  
• Address: Russian Federation

The paper concentrates on those provisions of official documents of States – observers to the Arctic Council which reflect clearly the positions of such States relevant to the contemporary legal regime of the Arctic Ocean, including its seas. The paper depicts both common components of such positions (first of all, relating to the legal rules on protection of the environment in the Arctic) and different approaches (such as presuming that all the Arctic States agree or not to establish in the Arctic Ocean the Area of “common heritage of mankind”). In this context the role of the Arctic Council is increasing as an appropriate mechanism of taking into account rational feedbacks of non-arctic States in governance of the Arctic Ocean by the Arctic States.