Statement on behalf of Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark at the 32nd Meeting of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Madam President,

 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark.

 

In May 2008 the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Premier of Greenland invited the representatives of the five coastal States bordering the Arctic Ocean to meet in Ilulissat, Greenland.

 

On that occasion the representatives from Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark together with Greenland, Norway, the Russian Federation and the United States of America declared that

 

“The law of the sea provides for important rights and obligations concerning the delineation of the outer limits of the continental shelf, the protection of the marine environment, including ice-covered areas, freedom of navigation, marine scientific research, and other uses of the sea.”

 

The countries also declared that;

“We remain committed to this legal framework and to the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims”

On that note, it is my great pleasure to share with you that the government of Canada and the government of the Kingdom of Denmark together with the government of Greenland met in Ottawa today, 14 June, and signed an historic agreement.

 

For more than 50 years we have discussed the sovereignty over the island Tartupaluk, or ‘Hans Island’ situated in the Kennedy Channel between Greenland and Canada.

 

Following intensified negotiations the past four years, we have now finally reached a solution. 

 

The agreement between Canada and the Kingdom of Denmark together with Greenland consists of three parts:

 

• A single maritime boundary within 200 nautical miles, including the Lincoln Sea; spanning a total of more than 3,000 kilometers.
• A land boundary on the island of Tartupaluk - or Hans Island - and
• The delimitation of continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the Labrador Sea.

 

In total the new maritime delimitation line spans a distance of 3 962 km, becoming the longest maritime boundary in the world.

 

Madam president,

 

This agreement is an historic milestone.

 

We believe that the land boundary on Tartupaluk or ´Hans Island’ will enhance the very close ties between our countries, peoples and cultures.

Our efforts demonstrate our firm common commitment to resolve international disputes peacefully, and based on international law. We hope that our negotiations and the spirit of this agreement may inspire others.

 

In a world of increasing tension and actions violating international law, let this be a testament that multilateralism and peaceful negotiation works.

 

Thank you.