The inaugural Arctic Ocean Conference was held in Ilulissat (Greenland) on 27–29 May 2008. Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the United States discussed key issues relating to the Arctic Ocean. The meeting was significant because of its plans for environmental regulation, maritime security, mineral exploration, polar oil oversight, and transportation. Before the conclusion of the conference, the attendees announced the Ilulissat Declaration.

The conference was the first ever held at the ministerial level that included the five regional powers, the Arctic five. It came at the invitation of Per Stig Møller, Denmark's Foreign Minister, and Hans Enoksen, Greenlands Premier in 2007 after several territorial disputes in the Arctic. States Møller, "We must continue to fulfill our obligations in the Arctic area until the UN decides who will have the right to the sea and the resources in the region. We must agree on the rules and what to do if climate changes make more shipping possible."

Ilulissat's melting glacier was an appropriate backdrop for the landmark conference. The key ministry level attendees were:

Controversy

The inclusion of some members of the Arctic Council while excluding others (indigenous peoples, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) from the conference caused controversy.

Defending Denmark's decision to exclude certain council members, Thomas Winkler, head of Denmark's International Law Department stated, "This meeting in Ilulissat is not a competition to the Arctic Council. The issues that we're going to discuss will be issues that is [sic] the responsibility of the five coastal states of the Arctic Ocean."

The reaction by Aqqaluk Lynge, a Greenlandic politician and former president of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, was concerned that indigenous peoples of the Arctic are being "marginalized". "Inuit have their own definition of sovereignty."

See also

Notes

  • Arctic Counsel (26 May 2008). . Article Council. Archived from on 20 August 2008.
  • Boswell, Randy (28 May 2008). . canada.com. from the original on 29 May 2008.
  • Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark, Ottawa (28 May 2008). . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. [dead link]
  • Lawrence, Daina (4 June 2008). . princegeorgecitizen.com.[permanent dead link]
  • Norden. . norden.org. Archived from on 29 August 2012.
  • Office of the Spokesman (21 May 2008). . U.S. Department of State.
  • Rigzone (27 May 2008). . rigzone.com. Archived from on 7 June 2011.
  • Sikunews (21 May 2008). . sikunews.com. Archived from on 22 July 2012.
  • Somby, Liv Inger (29 May 2008). . galdu.org. Archived from on 20 July 2011.
  • (Press release). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. 28 May 2008. Archived from on 14 June 2011.

External links