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Europe
Denmark: Greenland independence negotiations put on ice
2007-12-06
The commission created to grant Greenland greater autonomy has entered a state of limbo, Berlingske Tidende newspaper reports.

Formed in January 2004, the Greenlandic-Danish Self-Rule Commission was expected to present a timetable this year for granting more independence to the northern island province. A number of prickly issues, including the distribution of future oil revenues, had slowed the commission's progress.
It's all about the Benjamins Euros.
Greenland's representatives argued that the Danish government held a double standard when it came to how oil revenues were calculated. The Danish delegation countered that revenues should help to reduce the DKK 3.2 billion (EUR 432 million) block grant Greenland receives annually from Denmark.

The commission's 16 members nevertheless managed to agree on a number of issues, including a recommendation that the Greenlandic people could vote for independence sometime in the near future and that they in principle had control over resources under their feet.

But just when the commission was about to finalise the details of its official statement in November, PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen called a general election. Now, even the roster of the commission is cast in doubt. Two Danish members and a Greenlandic representative have left parliament. Another member, Birthe Rønn Hornbech, has been promoted to minister, which Søren Espersen, the representative for the Danish People's Party, feels disqualifies her from continuing.

Kristen Touborg, who represents Denmark's Socialist People's Party, admitted the commission had run aground. 'I hope we can continue with the current line-up,' said Touborg. 'Otherwise we won't be able to finish our work in 2008.'
Oil talks, commissions walk.
Some commission members have called upon Rasmussen to decide the commission's line-up himself, while others insist the Danish parliament should vote. No date for finalising the commission's line-up has been set, however. For the time being, Greenland's path to independence is stalled.
Suppose for a moment that the Greenlanders just declare independence. Let's suppose that they have oil that can be exploited quickly. What could the Danes do about it, other than maybe press their Euro friends for some sort of meaningless sanctions? It's not like the Danes are going to mount an air/sea expedition to retake the place.
Posted by:mrp

#3  Same thing is happening here in Canada. "Have not" Atlantic provinces have been on the federal teat for decades, they find oil, want all of the oil money, and all of the welfare.
Posted by: Daffy Glaing1756   2007-12-06 17:39  

#2  Who knows? That might depend on which country develops Greenland's offshore oil fields. How much would Russia be willing to give to set up platforms around Greenland? Or China?
Posted by: mrp   2007-12-06 15:05  

#1  The Greenland Republic starts the first Polar War. I see a New Polar Order in the making.


/seen this movie somewhere before....ODN is in it somewhere..
Posted by: Thomas Woof   2007-12-06 14:56  

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