Territory Disputes Case Studies

Crimea

Crimea In early 2014, Russian-backed forces seized control of Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula on the northern coast of the Black Sea. Since then, cartographers have agonized over whether or not to recognize it as a part of Russia. But seeing as Putin's federation has complete control over the region, and that many of its inhabitants support the annexation, it'll eventually have to be recognized as a part of Russia.

Crimea Crimea became a part of Russia back in 1783 when it was annexed during the reign of Catherine the Great. It was transferred to Ukraine in 1954 under Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev. In 2014, Russia re-claimed the peninsula after Ukraine made it known that it wants to strengthen economic ties with the European Union. Some observers contend that Russia simply wants unhindered access to Sevastopol, which hosts a major naval base and has served as home to the Black Sea Fleet since Soviet times. Russia claims that it's merely protecting the largely Russian-speaking majority from Ukrainian influence. •

The South and East China Sea Disputes

The South and East China Sea Disputes

The South and East China Sea Disputes Things have been heating up in the South and East China seas as several countries vie for control over a number of strategically important islands. There are two groups of islands in the South China Sea that are claimed by China: the Paracel Islands — which are also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam — and the Spratly Islands — which are also claimed by ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The South and East China Sea Disputes At the same time, the U.S. military is keen to safeguard its commercial and military interests by ensuring that routes which pass through this region remain open; China, on the other hand, is interpreting this as U.S. meddling in a dispute that's none of its business. To date, Vietnam and the Philippines have been the most aggressive in their territorial disputes with China, including confrontations by naval forces in the area.

The North Pole

The North Pole Now that Arctic ice is melting and the Northwest Passage is open for commercial, scientific, and military vessels, a number of countries have jumped at the opportunity to claim the North Pole for themselves, including Canada, Russia, Norway, the United States and Denmark.

The North Pole Back in 2007, Russia planted a titanium Russian flag in the seabed under the North Pole, while Canada has embarked on a plan to map a giant undersea mountain range the country claims will secure the sea floor under the pole. And last month, Denmark submitted a claim to the UN citing scientific data showing that Greenland's continental shelf is connected to a ridge that runs under the Arctic Ocean and through the North Pole.

The North Pole The CBC explains why so many countries want the North Pole: •The Arctic has increasingly become an area of interest for oil and gas exploration. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated in 2008 that as much as 22 per cent of the world's undiscovered and recoverable resources lay in the Arctic. •As well, the gradual warming of Arctic waters has made the region increasingly attractive for shipping lanes.

The North Pole Inuuteq Olsen, the minister for Greenland at the Danish embassy in Washington, D.C., says "very little is known at this point" about what lies in the seabed under the North Pole, largely because of the "challenges of doing scientific work in an ice-filled area." He acknowledges "there could be minerals as well as oil and gas, but it's a big but, because it's an unexplored area when it comes to geology and natural resources." Territorial claims are typically governed by the UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS), who now appear to have their hands full with this one.

Western Sahara

Western Sahara It may look like a barren patch of land in north-west Africa, but Western Sahara is a region rich in phosphate and its offshore areas likely contain oil deposits. For the past several decades, the borders of the region have been contested by Morocco and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front. Most of Western Sahara has been under Moroccan control since the mid 1970s. National Geographic has a nice summary of the situation:

Western Sahara Morocco says its sovereignty over Western Sahara is not negotiable, though no nation recognizes its rule and the International Court of Justice stated in 1976 that Morocco has no legitimate claim to the territory. Since 1991 a cease-fire, monitored by UN peacekeepers, has halted fighting between Moroccan troops and guerrillas of the Polisario Front, though a referendum on independence promised as part of the cease-fire agreement never took place. In 2007 Morocco and the Polisario Front began a series of negotiations on the territory's future, but made no progress toward resolving the dispute. Morocco is offering inhabitants of the territory autonomy under its rule; the Polisario Front insists that the people of Western Sahara be allowed to choose between autonomy, independence, or the status quo. The UN Security Council is now urging both sides to reach a mutually acceptable solution that provides self- determination for the people of Western Sahara.

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir For the past 60 years, this mountainous region has provided the stage for some extremely tense moments between Pakistan and India, leading some observers to contend that it's "one of the most dangerous disputes in the world — which in the worst-case scenario could trigger a nuclear conflict."

Jammu and Kashmir After Pakistan and India won their independence from Britain in 1947, and after the Indian Independence Act, Kashmir was free to join either India or Pakistan. Its Maharaja wanted to stay independent, but eventually acceded to India in return for military aid and a referendum. Since that time, the territory has witnessed two of the three India-Pakistan wars (1947-8 and 1965). Fifteen years ago, India fought against Pakistani-backed forces who had entered into Indian- controlled territory in the Kargil area.

Jammu and Kashmir CNN provides a summary of the situation from the Indian and Pakistani perspectives: Islamabad has always maintained that majority-Muslim Kashmir should have been a part of Pakistan. A United Nations' resolution adopted after the first war called for a referendum allowing the people of Kashmir to choose which country they wanted to join, but that vote for self-determination has never been held. Pakistan wants that referendum to take place. India claims that Pakistan lends support to separatist groups fighting against government control and argues that a 1972 agreement — signed after the Bangladesh war — mandates a resolution to the Kashmir dispute through bilateral talks. Neither country wants Kashmir to become an independent nation.

Disputed Territories Interactive Map •http://metrocosm.com/disputed-territories- map.html