Who owns Hans Island?

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run

What did you expect? You made it so easy...

[JimmyCracksCorn]

Well, this thread has certainly been threadjacked (my fault), but I think we should bring it back on track because it really is an interesting issue.

We're talking about Hans Island, midway between Greenland and Ellesmere Island Canada, is contested between Canada and Denmark. Recently PM Paul Martin went to Arctic Canada to reassert Canadian sovereignty over the region.

“One of the responsibilities of government is to protect the sovereignty of the land — to ensure that the sovereignty of land is going to be there for generations of Inuit and Canadians to come,” he told residents at a high school gymnasium.

“I, too, am concerned about those who would challenge our sovereignty over the Arctic.”

The Prime Minister's declaration comes as Canadian troops gear up for a military exercise in the Arctic. More than 200 sailors aboard the frigate HMCS Montreal will be on a three-week deployment in the region. They will be joined in the exercise called Operation Narwhal by 160 troops from the Royal Canadian Regiment and a team of Canadian Rangers from Nunavut.

Canadian sovereignty in the region came into question last year when Danes placed their flag on Hans Island, an isolated island midway between Ellesmere Island and the Danish colony of Greenland.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040811.wmartin0811/BNStory/National/?query=%22hans+island%22

So Canada plans to send up a naval presence (sorry Krazy, no fighter squandrons in the works) in order to assert sovereignty over the Island. However, its difficult for the Canadian Navy to remain up there since it lacks an ice-strengthened frigates, while Denmark has four. Also, last March, Denmark landed troops and aparantly planted a flag on Hans Island.

A diplomatic flap also surfaced last year after a news report said Danes had placed their flag on Hans Island, an isolated island midway between Ellesmere Island and Greenland.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040812.wpharm0812/BNStory/Front/?query=frigate+hans+island

So how should this issue be resolved, and who do you think has rightful claim to the territory? Also what implications does this have for Canada's sovereignty over the rest of the arctic in face alot of unresolved territorial boundary disputes?

[PLATO]

Without knowing the basis for each country's claim, it would be hard to offer an opinion. The Danes do appear to have a greater ability to hold the island though...

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by JimmyCracksCorn
Go away, Kuci. You have a funny definition of "pwnage".

Yes, it means "completely an utterly destroyed, in an argument or any other setting".

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by PLATO
Without knowing the basis for each country's claim, it would be hard to offer an opinion. The Danes do appear to have a greater ability to hold the island though...

Have you read the thread? The Danes have NO ability to hold the island. They can put a ship there. Canada can blow it out of the water. They might as well send out a rubber ducky.

[Winston]

Just one clarification, Greenland is not a colony. It's been an equal part of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1953, and it has Home Rule since 1979. Exceptions from the Home Rule's authority are limited to defense and foreign affairs matters concerning Greenland, which are managed by the Danish government. Greenland, like also the Faroe Islands, has 2 seats out of 179 in the Danish Parliament.

And it seems to be widely reported in your articles that it was Danish troops who planted the flag on Hans Ø last year. I remember Danish media reporting at the time that it was a group of geologists who were in the area and briefly landed on the island to jokingly plant a flag and take pictures for the family album...

[Lonestar]

Look out Canada!

[Ben Kenobi]

Recently PM Paul Martin went to Arctic Canada to reassert Canadian sovereignty over the region.

Wow, is there anything Martin can't do?

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse


Pffft.

You're mad that nobody listens to either of you while we're well-respected as a nation that not only solves its own problems, but steps up to help others solve theirs.

But you still have to go to another country for an education

[Ben Kenobi]

Funny, I agree with Jimmy. Does that make me an American who happens to live in Canada, Krazyhorse?

[KrazyHorse]

No. I'll need to troll you about something else.

[Winston]

Hmm, it would seem that I was wrong about the geologists. The Danish Wikipedia states that the crew of Vædderen were the first to hoist our flag there on Aug 13, 2002. Then in 2003, navymen from Triton paid a visit and replaced the worn out flag. The geologists must have followed after that.

[KrazyHorse]

BTW, I'd like to point out that Hans Island is 1.3 km^2 in area.

Just saying.

[KrazyHorse]

Obviously, the only equitable solution is to nuke the goddamn thing.

[Kuciwalker]

Whose nukes are you planning to borrow?