Danes plot to claim North Pole

[SeleucusNicator]

Yahoo! News

Denmark to Claim North Pole, Hopes to Find Oil

1 hour, 4 minutes ago

*World - Reuters


COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark aims to show the North Pole belongs to it and is sending an expedition to try to prove that the seabed there is a natural continuation of Danish territory, the Science Ministry said on Monday.

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The key to Denmark's claim is Greenland, the world's largest island and a Danish territory, whose northern tip lies just 450 miles south of the North Pole.


The expedition will try to show that the ocean floor from northern Greenland to the North Pole is geologically a natural extension of Danish territory.


Science Minister Helge Sander said last week that success would give Denmark access to "new resources such as oil and natural gas." The potential return far outweighs the $25 million the Danish government has allocated to support the investigation.


The Danish bid rests on a U.N. convention allowing coastal nations to claim rights to offshore seabed resources. Countries that ratify it have 10 years to prove they have a fair claim to the offshore territory and its resources.


"First we have to make the scientific claim. After that there will be a political process with the other countries," said Science Ministry official Thorkild Meedom. The ministry has called it "a project of historic dimensions."


Other claimants to the area, including the pole itself, include Russia, Canada and Norway, and the United States may make a claim.


The area in question covers three patches of seabed around Greenland and two around the Faroe Islands. Greenland and the Faroe Islands have limited home rule under Danish sovereignty.


Denmark's interest in looking into untapped reserves has grown sharply since it was forced to look on as Nordic neighbor Norway discovered massive oil reserves just within its offshore borders shortly after these were drawn in the North Sea.

It seems that Santa is sitting on top of some of the ol' $50.12/barrel...

 

[stormbind]

Good for them.

I think your claim that Denmark is plotting, which implies to me that they are being devious or are untrustworthy, is unfounded.

 

[Cheetah]

* Wishing Norway could have gotten our colonies with us when we were separated from Denmark...

 

[Reno]

Hmm so Danes want to have the North pole...? Go for it i say.

And Santa lives in Lappland Finland (Atleast we finns think so...)

 

[Zeekater]

Somebody's going to get filthy rich of it, might as well be the danes.
I'd prefer it to be me, but hey, you can't have it all..

 

[Mikoyan]

Go for it!

 

[carlosMM]

will Denmark then also pay for the melting of the polar caps? I mean, will they reimburse half of Bangladesh for the rising ocean level?



(oh how I miss that smiley!)

 

[stormbind]

will Denmark then also pay for the melting of the polar caps? I mean, will they reimburse half of Bangladesh for the rising ocean level?

Only if Colt give compensation for all the injuries caused by people using their products.

 

[Yoda Power]

Exellent, I hope we can increase our oil production in the near future.

 

[boogaboo]

I really didn't know Denmark has Greenland ..
May the mighty Danes rule the pole (until humanity self destructs)...

 

[Pascal]

People would do really anything for oil

 

[newfangle]

More evidence that they idea of claiming land is bull.

The oil belongs to the first person that taps it. And even then, the person only owns the oil they actually extract. Period.

 

[Cheetah]

So all the oil I can tap in Alaska belongs to me?

 

[IglooDame]

Hmm so Danes want to have the North pole...? Go for it i say.

And Santa lives in Lappland Finland (Atleast we finns think so...)

Santa lives in North Pole, Alaska, you must have an imposter there.

 

[Hitro]

So even the North Pole will be part of the EU soon?

 

[Christmann]

So even the North Pole will be part of the EU soon?

Depends if the new area will be considered part of Greenland, as Greenland left the EC (EU).

 

[storealex]

Exciting, though we really don't need this oil. Should go to Russia instead, they're poor and they've recently signed the Kyoto agreement.

 

[Kafka2]

That'll fall flat if Greenland gains the independence it's seeking.

 

[AVN]

Exciting, though we really don't need this oil. Should go to Russia instead, they're poor and they've recently signed the Kyoto agreement.

I agree that Russia is poor, but unfortunately they haven't signed the Kyoto treaty yet. Putin and his government approves the treaty now but the Russian Parliament (Doema) has to approve it too. And at the moment it's uncertain if they will do that.

 

[storealex]

Ok AVN, I see. Hope they'll sign it too.

Kafka, It's the Faroe Islands that is seeking independance. Greenland is surviving on money given to it by Denmark, and they don't want independance yet, as that would meen lower living standards. Besides, the bonds between Denmark and Greenland are very strong, many Greenlanders live in Denmark and vice verse. I know, Im half Greenlander my self