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Denmark Invades Canada
Published on 03/30/04 at 16:38:30 EST by Craig Pichach
Adrian Humphreys
National Post
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Canada's top remaining diplomat in Denmark was called before the
Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday to discuss the
disputed territory of Hans Island, a barren rock in the high Arctic.
Brian Herman, charge d'affaires of Canada's diplomatic mission in
Copenhagen, was asked by officials about his country's intentions in
the spat, recently inflamed by Danish sailors occupying the island
during regular Arctic patrols.
Mr. Herman's response was that "it is not Canada's intention to stir
up a tempest in a teapot," said Reynald Doiron, spokesman for
Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs. "We want to keep an open
mind on this and yes, we would be ready to resume discussions on the
issue but there has been no definite agenda set," he said.
Peter Taksoe-Jensen, head of international public law with the
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the issue is not in danger
of becoming an international incident. "The solution of the dispute
over Hans Island is not going to be a military solution in the sense
that Denmark is going to post military on the island or anything of
that kind," Mr. Taksoe-Jensen said from Copenhagen.
"It is going to be a negotiated solution where Canada and Denmark
sit together at the table at some stage when we come to this issue
and find a solution."
Although he played down the presence of a Danish warship -- which
has made repeated visits to the island with its sailors occupying
the island and even unfurling the red and white flag of Denmark over
it -- Mr. Taksoe-Jensen could not rule out further visits.
"Since we think of it as part of Danish territory, we feel officials
have that right. It is only natural that Danish officials go there
from time to time."
He said Copenhagen would take issue if Canada also landed soldiers
on the island.
Canada has not had an ambassador in Denmark since Alfonso Gagliano
was recalled by Paul Martin in the wake of the advertising scandal
involving Mr. Gagliano's former government ministry.
The National Post has highlighted the dispute between Canada and
Denmark over the tiny, desolate, ice-bound island as one of four
international boundary disputes prompting concerns over the nation's
ability to maintain sovereignty of its vast northern region.
The issue was also raised in Parliament, with Stockwell Day, the
Conservative party's foreign affairs critic, calling on the
government to fill Mr. Gagliano's post and for the restoration of
military funding to help retain Arctic sovereignty.
"The nation of Denmark has laid claim to Canadian territory. Its
military, from its warship, hoisted its flag on our Arctic territory
without permission, without warning, and without any fear of being
stopped," Mr. Day said on Friday.
"The government's utter disarray is underlined by the fact that the
scandal has led to the recall of our ambassador to Denmark, the very
nation that is challenging our sovereignty," Mr. Day said.
Aileen Carroll, Minister for International Co-operation, said Canada
will continue to defend its interests.
"Hans Island constitutes part of the national territory of Canada.
No assertion by the Danish ambassador or other Danish officials
detracts from the absolute sovereignty that Canada enjoys over Hans
Island," she said, repeating the official statement of Foreign
Affairs.
Mr. Day said the issue highlights the military's weakness.
"This embarrassing situation shows that the Prime Minister was wrong
when he was underfunding our national defence while he was finance
minister ... and he is wrong today in leaving Canada exposed and
embarrassed," he said in Parliament.
David Pratt, the Minister of National Defence, defended the
government's record.
"A significant amount of money has been put into the navy over the
last number of years. Since this government took over, significant
investments have been made in the armed forces overall.... We are
continuing to rebuild the Canadian Forces," he said.
© National Post 2004
