The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Marketplace
    • Autos
    • Jobs
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Shopping
    • Dining Out
    • Education
    • TWT Store
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • National

    HUTCHISON: Right must understand barriers to success

  • National

    WILLIAMS: Legislative malpractice practiced

  • Sports

    Redskins the ugliest show on Earth

  • Politics

    Obama: 'No faith justifies' Fort Hood rampage

  • National

    Michigan's cannabis college is quite a joint

  • Politics

    Obama looks to avoid pitfalls in Asia

  • Politics

    Kennedy's proposal could stall health bill

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Canada-Denmark ties get icy over Arctic isle

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos

More Stories

  • Obama: 'No faith justifies' Fort Hood rampage
  • Blackouts plunge Brazilian cities into darkness
  • Cashing in big on viral videos
  • Clinton pushes Dems to pass health bill

By

MONTREAL -- A barren desert island in the High Arctic populated only by seals and the occasional polar bear is at the center of a diplomatic tiff between otherwise friendly Canada and Denmark after Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham quietly set foot on the disputed land last week.

Hans Island, a round frozen outcrop in the middle of the Kennedy Channel that separates Greenland from Canada's Ellesmere Island, is claimed by both Arctic nations.

The Danish Foreign Ministry issued an official note of protest to Canada's ambassador in Copenhagen on Monday after learning of Mr. Graham's decision to personally "invade" Hans Island and reinforce Canada's claim over it.

"Denmark still maintains its position that this island is Danish territory," said Poul Erik Dam Kristensen, Denmark's ambassador to Canada.

"We regret that this visit was taken without prior notification. And we reiterate our suggestion that the two parties sit down and resume consultations and resolve the issue on the basis of international law."

Mr. Kristensen said the last time Canada and Denmark held consultations about their boundary in the Arctic was in 1971. The two parties could not come to a consensus on Hans Island and "agreed to disagree" on the issue.

The island is so small that it doesn't show on most maps, but researchers say the Arctic is warming so quickly that the rich natural resources of the area will be open for exploitation within a few decades.

Canada also thinks that if it doesn't draw a line in the snow over Hans Island, its credibility and position in a far more important boundary dispute with the United States over the Beaufort Sea will be undermined.

Denmark fears that relations with Greenland, its giant overseas territory, will be undermined if it fails to protect what many Greenlanders consider rightfully theirs.

So the two NATO allies have been engaged in a tit-for-tat policy of visiting the island to reinforce their claims to it.

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Commenting is disabled for this entry.
If you feel there is still something worth mentioning about this entry please contact the author or the site admin.

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Warner: Obama misplayed health care debate
  3. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  4. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  5. Families meet as sniper's execution nears
More Top Stories »
  1. Deer dies after leap into D.C. zoo lion exhibit
  2. Federal Reserve opposed as big bank savior by odd allies
  3. Court refuses to halt sniper's execution
  4. High court refuses to halt sniper execution
  5. Parents buying homes for kids at college

Most Shared

  1. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  2. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  3. Defense nominee won't reveal potential conflicts
  4. 'Fuzzy math' could drive health bill cost higher
  5. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
More Top Stories »
  1. The siren call of Shariah
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  3. Deer dies after leap into D.C. zoo lion exhibit
  4. Sinking dollar fuels new gold rush
  5. Parents buying homes for kids at college

Most Commented

  1. PRUDEN: Fatal reluctance to see evil
  2. 'Fuzzy math' could drive health bill cost higher
  3. Defense nominee won't reveal potential conflicts
  4. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  5. Lieberman vows probe of Hood rampage
More Top Stories »
  1. Jihadists in the military
  2. Health bill faces roadblocks in Senate
  3. 'Anti-vaccine' attitude hampers H1N1 effort
  4. Hood suspect earlier came under FBI scrutiny
  5. EDITORIAL: Mr. Obama, stay away from this wall

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Blogs & Columns

  • POTUS Notes

    New Dem talking point on Obama approval doesn't wash

  • The Back Story

    12 arrested at Pelosi's office

  • Belief Blog

    New Vatican constitution released

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Redskins 360

    Hall, Portis on radio

  • Tara's Two Cents

    On their way to summer vacation..

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.