General Discussion

Canada and Denmark signed an agreement on Tuesday that formally defined their Arctic marine boundary and settles the question of Hans Island’s ownership. The island will be split, with about 60 percent of the rock becoming Denmark and the rest becoming Canada.

The ministers said that reaching an agreement involved talks by both countries with Inuit who live on both sides of the border and who know the island as Tartupaluk. Mr. Kofod said that the agreement protects their cross-border hunting and fishing rights and also ensures that the new boundary will not hinder travel across Hans Island.

Given that Canada and Denmark are longtime allies and enjoy friendly relations, why did it take so long to reach a deal?

Part of the answer, Professor Byers said, is the slow pace of the United Nations’ processes for settling marine boundary issues that are governed by the 1982 Law of the Sea Treaty.

But he also noted that highly publicized drop offs of liquor by troops from both countries have typically preceded elections, suggesting that some governments found political value in dragging out the dispute.

“It was simply a way of stirring up a little bit of patriotic sentiment in a completely no risk context,” Professor Byers said.