For the Faroese the annual celebration of the day of the Faroese Flag, Merkið as we call it, is a proud and happy event and of course it has a central importance for the identity of the Faroese people.
That is why it is a special honour and pleasure for me to share it with so many distinguished guests, Members of Parliament, representatives of the diplomatic community, officials and close friends of the Faroes.
Speech by the Prime Minister of the Faroes, Mr Jóannes Eidesgaard, at the official reception on the 25th of April, the Faroese Flag Day, 2006, the Arts Club in London
Excellencies,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
For the Faroese the annual celebration of the day of the Faroese Flag, Merkið as we call it, is a proud and happy event and of course it has a central importance for the identity of the Faroese people.
That is why it is a special honour and pleasure for me to share it with so many distinguished guests, Members of Parliament, representatives of the diplomatic community, officials and close friends of the Faroes.
Marking the Flag Day in London is very special to us,
as it initially was a decision by the British Government to recognize the Faroese Flag.
Denmark’s surrender a few days earlier to Nazis meant that the Faroese fishing fleet, which was landing their catches in Scotland, was not permitted by the British Admiralty to fly the Danish Flag.
This led to intense discussions both in Tórshavn between Faroese politicians, the British Commander, and the Danish High Commissioner, and in London between the Danish Ambassador and the Foreign Office.
But the British authorities cut through, and decided on the 25th of April 1940 to recognize Merkið as the official Flag of the Faroes.
Ever since, this day has been celebrated by the Faroese as the official Faroese Flag Day.
At the same time the Løgting, one of the oldest parliaments in the world, gained legislative powers. This was a necessary provision due to the separation from Denmark caused by the war.
Therefore we can now celebrate 66 years of flying our own flag and making our own laws, and governing ourselves in most internal matters.
In the same way as the annual celebration of the Flag is an important day for the whole Faroese nation, Britain’s role in recognising our flag has always been remembered in the Faroes.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me share with you our plans and visions for the role of the Faroes in the international community in the years to come.
Firstly, let me remind you that the autonomous status of the Faroes under the Kingdom of Denmark means that we are able to govern ourselves in most areas of society.
We can in many ways act on the international arena in several of the most important areas.
Since the first settlement in the 8th century the Faroes has had a special legal status first in its own right, then under the Norwegian and Danish Crowns.
Very recently we managed to further expand our autonomy. After years of negotiations between the Faroes and Denmark, we saw the process through, and got new legislation endorsed by both the Faroese and Danish parliaments last summer.
Firstly, the new laws expanded the scope of competence areas that can be assumed by the Faroese government from the Danish government.
Secondly, we can now assume new areas by unilateral decision, and we are now in a process of preparing to assume some new areas of competence.
Thirdly, the new legislation provides greater authority to our government to act on its own in international relations.
We can now negotiate and conclude treaties under international law with other states and international organizations.
Of course, being outside the EU, while Denmark is a member, will from time to time mean that the Faroes will have special concerns of its own.
We need to be able to handle matters in the area of foreign policy on our own accord.
This being said, let me at the same time emphasize the good relations we enjoy with the Danish Foreign Ministry.
The Faroes have representations in Danish embassies both here in London and in Brussels, and we are truly grateful for this opportunity provided by the Danish foreign service.
Let me therefore take this opportunity to thank the Danish ambassador and his staff for the good co-operation here in London.
Now – increasing globalisation has led to a much broader range and scope in both political and business relations between countries.
More and more domestic issues are closely tied to international developments. No nation, whether large or small, can ignore this fact.
The Faroes are part of this reality, even though we may look extremely small and remote, seen from a British or European perspective.
But as every nation should, we see our own land as our center of gravity, while at the same time we look outwards for inspiration and co-operation.
Of course, for a maritime nation, the sea is not a barrier, but a high-way as well as a provider of wealth.
It is a general fact that the smaller the country, the more dependent it will be on good relations with others. For us this is true whether it be in fisheries, trade, education and research, protection of the environment and so forth.
This is why the Faroes today negotiate our own international agreements and treaties especially within fisheries and trade.
We participate independently as an associate member of the International Maritime Organisation, and as full member of the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission.
Together with Greenland we participate in a number of regional fisheries organisations where Denmark itself participates as part of the EU delegation.
This role has given us a more independent international identity.
We face today some serious challenges.
The cornerstones of our relations with the European Union are the bi-lateral free trade agreement and the fisheries agreement.
As a non-sovereign state, we are for the time being excluded from participation in the EEA-agreement.
On the other hand, joining the EU is not an option at the moment, as this would mean, among other things, giving up national control of our fisheries.
My Government’s ambition is to further develop and strengthen the existing relationship with the EU and we aim to extend it into other areas such as research, education, culture and civil aviation. It is also a priority to include the Faroes in the four freedoms of the new Europe.
This will no doubt require some creative negotiation and decision making, but we are confident that with the help and support of our dear friends in Denmark, Britain and other places we can overcome any problems or obstacles.
The environmental challenges facing us are enormous. Global warming and pollution of the seas are issues of major concern for a small nation so dependant on marine resources.
We want to engage fully in the relevant international and regional bodies that are addressing the causes of these problems.
A lot of attention has been given to the issue of how to manage fisheries in a responsible and sustainable way. For obvious reasons, the Faroes have always given this issue a very high priority.
We are very fortunate in the North Atlantic region to have a broad network of bilateral and multilateral agreements as well as regional bodies for co-operation on the conservation and management of living marine resources.
Our policy is to enhance research in some of the areas which are of importance to our economy, not least in fisheries, aquaculture and marine technologies.
We want to encourage researchers to engage in international co-operation, and we want to develop formal bi-lateral research co-operation agreements with our neighboring countries.
To achieve our goals and establish useful contacts and fruitful co-operation abroad, it is most important to have overseas missions. It is not by chance that the Faroese government has chosen London as one of three places with Faroese representatives.
The importance of the United Kingdom for the Faroes cannot be overstated.
I began by mentioning how it was Britain that first recognized our flag. I could also mention that the industrialization of the Faroes emerged through the acquisition from Britain in the late nineteenth century of ocean going fishing vessels, and the immense importance, still today, of the British market for Faroese fish.
A new and very positive development is the rising number of Faroese youth, reaching 100 this year, who chose to study at British universities.
Another sign of the importance we see in good connections with the UK is the Faroese ferry, operated by Smyril Line, connecting Shetland to the Faroes, and the Faroese airline company Atlantic Airways’ flights to Shetland, Aberdeen and London.
The new Shetland - London route will be the longest domestic route in the UK.
And what will the future bring in Faroe-British relations?
Well, let me mention the very exciting prospects regarding oil and gas exploration on the Faroese shelf. We should not get over-excited, and only time will tell.
Still, we already know that there are hydrocarbons in our subsoil, and finds just on the other side of the boundary on the British shelf give us good reason to be optimistic.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Never before has the international community been more open to small nations.
We see the relations with the United Kingdom, and Europe at large, as very important for the further development of our society.
The Faroese have a lot of common history and common interests with the British.
We are also Europeans. Maybe we are a special sort, though. Perhaps we are a bit like the British in our reluctance to enhance what some may consider as too hasty European integration, but we still consider ourselves a part of the European family.
- Please join me now in a toast to friendship, and close and fruitful relations between our respective countries in times to come.
Thank you!