Baltic Sea nations react warily to a reported Russian proposal to revise its maritime border

By JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Leaders around the Baltic Sea have reacted warily to reports that Russia could revise the borders of its territorial waters in the region. Lithuania’s foreign minister calls it an “obvious escalation” that must be met with an “appropriately firm response.” It isn’t immediately clear from the draft proposal reported by Russia media whether the proposed changes would shift the border or merely clarify it. Finland’s foreign minister warns that if Russia’s changes violate a U.N. convention regulating such changes, “then Russia has the whole world against it.” Russia says there’s “nothing political” in the Defense Ministry’s proposal.