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France and Canada headed for showdown over Atlantic Ocean seabed rights

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  • France and Canada headed for showdown over Atlantic Ocean seabed rights

    By Annie Mathieu, The Canadian Press
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    MONTREAL - Canada and France appear headed for an underwater showdown over the European country's attempt to gain exploration rights over a potentially energy-rich chunk of the Atlantic Ocean seabed.

    The French government said Wednesday it will file a letter of intent with the United Nations laying claim to a larger swath of the seabed for its Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon territory, just south of Newfoundland and Labrador.

    The roughly 6,000 inhabitants of the North Atlantic archipelago want to develop their economy by expanding their access to the seabed, which is potentially rich in gas, marine and oil resources.

    But the move has drawn the ire of Canada, with Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon swiftly announcing that France's decision to revisit the issue is regrettable.

    The maritime boundary dispute between Canada and France was settled in June 1992 by the International Court of Arbitration in New York.

    "Canada does not recognize France's claim to any area of the continental shelf in the northwest Atlantic Ocean beyond the area set out in the arbitration decision, and Canada has made France aware of its position on several occasions, and again recently," Cannon said in a statement.

    "Canada will take all necessary measures to defend and protect its rights with respect to its continental shelf."

    The island's elected member, Annick Girardin, was in Paris this week lobbying the French government and media to submit a letter to a UN commission claiming an extended continental shelf for Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.

    Countries have until May 13 to state their claim with the commission.

    Girardin said in an interview the letter is aimed at getting the two countries to reach an agreement on dividing up the resources and any economic windfall.

    "It's really quid pro quo, it's really to sit down and know who can give what to the other and how we can live together in this region without the archipelago's economy being sacrificed," Girardin said.

    Cannon said a final decision on the matter was made in June 1992.

    But since then, according to Girardin, the economic fortunes of the islands, the last remnants of New France, have been in peril. And shrinking fish quotas and stocks have not helped.

    "It's not like 6,500 people are going to ruin the Canadian economy, so make a little room for us," she said.

    Noting Canada's unwillingness to negotiate the matter, Girardin said the case could end up back before an international arbitrator.

    "But it's not my vision of things and in no way is it what the French government or the elected officials of Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon want," Girardin said.

    "We hope to negotiate with the Canadians."
    First the Russians mess with us. Now the dham French??!!!

  • #2
    Typical French arrogance. Smell freebies and think they can cash in. What, do they actually think they can claim the usual 200 mile limit National boundaries have. I think not. For a Nation who twice relied on not just the dead of almost 100,000 Canadian liberators,but those of a half dozen others to free them because they couldn't defend there own country to demand such nonsense is laughable. Now they think they can frighten us because they think an island the size of a good turd may be worth some quick cash. Come on over. We,d love to show you what we think of this attempt to rip-off a freebie. If History has taught us anything, it,s never to fear a French man who thinks he,s on the war path. Again, come on over,it,s been a long winter and most Canadians are bored to death.Such stupidity.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Exarecr View Post
      Typical French arrogance. Smell freebies and think they can cash in. What, do they actually think they can claim the usual 200 mile limit National boundaries have. I think not. For a Nation who twice relied on not just the dead of almost 100,000 Canadian liberators,but those of a half dozen others to free them because they couldn't defend there own country to demand such nonsense is laughable. Now they think they can frighten us because they think an island the size of a good turd may be worth some quick cash. Come on over. We,d love to show you what we think of this attempt to rip-off a freebie. If History has taught us anything, it,s never to fear a French man who thinks he,s on the war path. Again, come on over,it,s been a long winter and most Canadians are bored to death.Such stupidity.
      That is true. I do sense that many of us are just itching to do something, let the invaders visit, we will strip them of all their wine and send them back

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Mobbme View Post
        That is true. I do sense that many of us are just itching to do something, let the invaders visit, we will strip them of all their wine and send them back
        Don,t forget the cheese.:))

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        • #5
          Both the Danish and French border disputes are really Canada/EU disputes, since any resource development rights would be enjoyed by all EU-based firms.

          It's part of a developing pattern of encroachment--e.g. see the various threads on Canada/Russia and Canada/US disputes in the High Arctic.

          We're a resource-rich minor power caught between the USA, EU, and Russia. Any one of them would no doubt pledge to help us protect our rights from any of the others--as long as they got their own little piece of the action in exchange!

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