Press release

No.: 25/06
Date: 20.02.2006

Delimitation line in the sea areas between Greenland and Svalbard established

Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Møller and the director of the Greenland Home Rule Government’s Foreign Affairs Directorate signed an agreement on the establishment of the maritime delimitation line between Greenland and Svalbard in Copenhagen today.

The area delimited by the agreement measures 150 000 square kilometres.

“The agreement settles the question of jurisdiction in the area, and will be a great help in terms of ensuring clarity and predictability as regards the exploitation of resources in the area. It is yet another positive contribution to the good neighbourly relations between our countries,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

Denmark and Norway had agreed in principle that the delimitation between Svalbard and Greenland should be determined on the basis of the median line principle. Both Parties have now completed an accurate survey of their respective coastlines, which has made it possible to establish a specific delimitation line.

The agreement establishes a delimitation line between the Parties’ continental shelves and fisheries zones (the Fisheries Protection Zone around Svalbard and the Exclusive Economic Zone of Greenland) in waters within 200 nautical miles of Svalbard’s and Greenland’s respective coastlines. The Parties will revert to the delimitation of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in connection with the establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.

In accordance with standard practice, the agreement also sets out procedures to be followed in the event that the existence of a mineral deposit that extends over both sides of thedelimitation line is established.

The negotiation process was completed quickly and the atmosphere was constructive and friendly. The Parties’ negotiating delegations reached agreement on the text of the agreement on 16 January.

The agreement will be submitted to the Storting and the Danish Folketing for approval as soon as possible. If everything goes according to schedule, the agreement is expected to enter into force in the course of 2006.