{"id":28281,"date":"2022-02-28T08:22:18","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T08:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/the-demilitarisation-of-aland-in-a-nutshell\/"},"modified":"2022-03-28T12:34:53","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T12:34:53","slug":"the-demilitarisation-of-aland-in-a-nutshell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/the-demilitarisation-of-aland-in-a-nutshell\/","title":{"rendered":"The demilitarisation of \u00c5land in a nutshell"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The status of the \u00c5land Islands has been regulated through a long row of international agreements. \u00c5land has been demilitarised since 1856 and neutralised since 1921.<br \/>\nPut shortly, <strong><em>demilitarisation<\/em>\u00a0means the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>\u00c5land cannot be fortified<\/li>\n<li>No military forces are allowed on \u00c5land<\/li>\n<li>Manufacturing, importing, and transporting of arms o and implements of war are forbidden<\/li>\n<li>Finland may only let light warships (e.g. not submarines) visit the islands from time to time<\/li>\n<li>Only Finnish military aircraft may fly over \u00c5land, but not land other than in a case of emergency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In addition to this, the \u00c5land neutralisation means that \u00c5land should be kept out of war. \u00c5land may not, directly or indirectly, be used for any purpose connected with military operations.<\/p>\n<p>If the Baltic Sea is directly affected by war, Finland may temporarily lay mines to protect Finland (including \u00c5land) against attacks over \u00c5land.<br \/>\nThe security on \u00c5land is assured, mainly by the Police (which is among the competences of \u00c5land according to the Autonomy Act of \u00c5land) and the Finnish Border Guard (which is the responsibility of the state) which in peacetime is a part of the police force but can be put under the authority of the Ministry of Defence during times of war.<\/p>\n<p>The \u00c5land demilitarisation and neutralisation covers a zone of three nautical miles from land and is usually depicted as a cloud around the islands.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28123 size-large aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GranserruntAland_karta-1-scaled-e1642774501138-821x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Gr\u00e4nserrunt\u00c5land_karta\" width=\"800\" height=\"998\" srcset=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GranserruntAland_karta-1-scaled-e1642774501138-821x1024.jpg 821w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GranserruntAland_karta-1-scaled-e1642774501138-241x300.jpg 241w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GranserruntAland_karta-1-scaled-e1642774501138-768x958.jpg 768w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GranserruntAland_karta-1-scaled-e1642774501138-1231x1536.jpg 1231w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GranserruntAland_karta-1-scaled-e1642774501138-1642x2048.jpg 1642w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/GranserruntAland_karta-1-scaled-e1642774501138.jpg 1811w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The neutralisation of a region is a legal status, i.e. different from neutrality, which is a security policy position or a constitutional rule from a state point of view.<\/p>\n<p>According to the UN Charter all states have the right to self-defence. In the case of the Republic of Finland, the self-defence is especially regulated when it comes to \u00c5land.<\/p>\n<p>The status of \u00c5land must be taken into consideration and respected in the policies and actions of Finland and other states. The different agreements have different foci and levels of detail. The Convention Relating to the Non-Fortification and Neutralisation of the \u00c5land Islands of 1921 has the most detailed regulation and is also the one with the most convention parties.<br \/>\nIn other words, the status of \u00c5land shall primarily be treated by political and diplomatic means and not by military means.<\/p>\n<p>Experts of public international law have stated that the long-term regulation and application of the agreements mean that the status of \u00c5land has become binding also as customary law, i.e. it is in force for all international actors regardless if they are parties to the agreements or not.<\/p>\n<h4>The \u00c5land solution as a whole<\/h4>\n<p>The demilitarisation and neutralisation of \u00c5land is an important part of the international and constitutional status of \u00c5land. The special status consists of three components that were connected to each other and to the League of Nations decision of Finnish sovereignty over the islands after the First World War:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Autonomy<\/li>\n<li>Linguistic and cultural guarantees<\/li>\n<li>Demilitarisation and neutralisation<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The term \u201c\u00c5land Example\u201d is commonly used when these three elements are used as an inspiration in international conflict resolution.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/the-aland-example\/\">The \u00c5land solution <\/a>is simultaneously a geopolitical security solution, a confidence-promoting diplomatic system around the Baltic Sea and a negotiated special solution for a linguistic minority inhabiting a border region.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-28120 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/10-04-oktober-2018_054-62-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"10-04 oktober 2018_054-62\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/10-04-oktober-2018_054-62-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/10-04-oktober-2018_054-62-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/10-04-oktober-2018_054-62-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/10-04-oktober-2018_054-62-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/10-04-oktober-2018_054-62.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4>The most important international agreements concerning the demilitarisation and neutralisation of \u00c5land<\/h4>\n<p>1856: Convention on the demilitarisation of the \u00c5land Islands between France, the United Kingdom and Russia (the agreement was a part of the Paris Peace Treaty at the end of the Crimean War)<br \/>\n1921: Decision about the \u00c5land Islands of the Council of the League of Nations \u2013 &#8220;The \u00c5land decision&#8221;<br \/>\n1921: The \u00c5land Agreement in the Council of the League of Nations<br \/>\n1921: Convention relating to the non-fortification and neutralisation of the \u00c5land Islands<br \/>\n1940: Treaty between Finland and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics concerning the \u00c5land Islands<br \/>\n1947: Excerpts concerning \u00c5land from the Paris Peace Treaty<br \/>\nThese treaties, together with other basic international agreements such as the UN Charter (1945) and the Helsinki Act (1975), make up a network of rights and duties that impact all concerned states, including Finland and \u00c5land.<br \/>\n\u00c5land is not a party to the agreements, But in accordance with the Autonomy Act, shall be heard when decisions in important questions are to be made.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/kulturstiftelsen.ax\/internationella-avtal\/\">The international agreements on the homepage of the \u00c5land Culture Foundation link<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/demilitarisation-and-international-law-in-context-the-aland-islands\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-19370 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Demilitariseringsbok2018.jpg\" alt=\"Demilitariseringsbok2018\" width=\"272\" height=\"425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Demilitariseringsbok2018.jpg 272w, https:\/\/peace.ax\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Demilitariseringsbok2018-192x300.jpg 192w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<div>\n<h4><span lang=\"EN-GB\">Further readings on the topic of demilitarisation and neutralisation<\/span><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>International documents regarding the \u00c5land status<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The \u00c5land Foundation for Culture has gathered and published the international documents that make up the formal background of the \u00c5land international status and autonomy, including the demilitarisation and neutralisation. The wording of the original documents has been collected through the archives of the United Nations and the League of Nations and the British Public Records Office. In 1993, a booklet was published, with facsimile prints of the originals and newly controlled translations to Swedish of all documents and to English of the documents in other languages than English or French. In 2018 also the documents concerning \u00c5land in connection to the EU-association 1994 and the Lisbon Treaty of 2009 were added to the collection. <a href=\"https:\/\/kulturstiftelsen.ax\/app\/uploads\/2020\/07\/english-3-3-1.pdf\">The English version of this collection can be found here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Research project on Demilitarisation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The project \u201cDemilitarisation in an increasingly militarised world. International perspectives from a multilevel regulatory framework \u2013 the case of the \u00c5land Islands\u201d was conducted in 2015-2018 at the \u00c5land Islands Peace Institute. It was led by Dr Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark and supported by the Kone foundation, Helsinki.<\/p>\n<p>Cooperation partners in the project were the University of Lapland and its Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi, Finland. Researchers involved in the project were: JD Pirjo Kleemola-Juntunen; research professor and director of the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi Timo Koivurova; doctoral candidate and junior researcher Saila Heinikoski; as well as research assistants Yannick Poullie and Filip Holien\u010din.<\/p>\n<p>At the end of the project an international symposium was held on October 2018 in Mariehamn and the book \u201cDemilitarisation and International Law in Context \u2013 The \u00c5land Islands\u201d was published by Routledge publishers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.routledge.com\/Demilitarization-and-International-Law-in-Context-The-Aland-Islands\/Akermark-Heinikoski-Kleemola-Juntunen\/p\/book\/9781138093300\">The book is available for purchase here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark\u00b4 s summary of the project can be found in <a href=\"https:\/\/jass.ax\/index.php\/jass\/article\/view\/30\/16\">What is the essence of the institution of demilitarisation? Reflections upon Completion of the Research Project.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In addition to the book, the following articles were published within the project (in chronological order):<\/p>\n<p>Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark, \u201cOld rules and new technology. Drones and the demilitarization and neutralization of the \u00c5land Islands\u201d <em>Finnish Yearbook of International Law<\/em>, Vol. 25 (2015), 49\u201474.<\/p>\n<p>Yannick Poullie, \u201c\u00c5land\u2019s demilitarisation and neutralisation at the end of the Cold War: Parliamentary discussions in \u00c5land and Finland 1988\u20131995\u201d, <em>International Journal on Minority and Group Rights,<\/em> Vol. 23: 2 (2016) 179\u2013210.<\/p>\n<p>Saila Heinikoski, \u201cThe \u00c5land Islands, Finland and European Security in the 21st Century\u201d, <em>Journal of Autonomy and Security Studies<\/em>, Vol.1:1 (2017), 8\u201345. <a href=\"https:\/\/jass.ax\/index.php\/jass\/article\/view\/4\/4\">Available Open Access.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Saila Heinikoski, \u201cPool It or Lose It? A contrastive analysis of discourses concerning EU military integration and demilitarization in the Baltic Sea\u201d, <em>Journal on Baltic Security<\/em>, 3:1 (2017) 32\u201347. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.degruyter.com\/view\/j\/jobs.2017.3.issue-1\/jobs-2017-0002\/jobs-2017-0002.xml?format=INT\">Available Open Access. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>Timo Koivurova and Filip Holiencin, \u201cDemilitarisation and neutralisation of Svalbard: how has the Svalbard regime been able to meet the changing security realities during almost 100 years of existence?\u201d <em>Polar Record,<\/em> Vol. 53:2 (2017) 131\u2013142.<\/p>\n<p>Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark, \u201cThe Meaning of Airspace Sovereignty Today \u2013 A Case Study on Demilitarisation and Functional Airspace Blocks\u201d, <em>Nordic Journal of International Law<\/em> (2017) 91\u2013117.<\/p>\n<p>Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark, \u201cThe puzzle of collective self-defence: dangerous fragmentation or a window of opportunity? An analysis with Finland and the \u00c5land Islands as a case study\u201d, <em>J Conflict Security Law<\/em> Vol. 22:2 (2017) 249\u2013274.<\/p>\n<p>Pirjo Kleemola-Juntunen, \u201cThe Right of Innocent Passage: The Challenge of the Proliferation Security Initiative and the Implications for the Territorial Waters of the \u00c5land Islands\u201d in <em>The Future of the Law of the Sea: Bridging Gaps between National, Individual and Common Interests<\/em>, ed. Gemma Andreone, Springer publisher (2017), 239\u2013269. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.springer.com\/la\/book\/9783319512730\">Available Open Access.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Pirjo Kleemola-Juntunen, \u201cStraits in the Baltic Sea: What Passage Rights Apply?\u201d in <em>Regulatory Gaps in Baltic Sea Governance: Selected Issues,<\/em> ed. Henrik Ringbom, Springer, MARE Publication Series, Vol. 18 (2018) 21\u201344<\/p>\n<p>Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark, Tatu Hyttinen and Pirjo Kleemola-Juntunen, \u201cLife on the Border: Dealing with Territorial Violations of the Demilitarised and Neutralised Zone of the \u00c5land Islands\u201d, <em>Nordic Journal of International Law<\/em>, 88:2 (2019) 135-179.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Selected academic articles on the topic<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Holger Rotkirch, \u201cThe Demilitarization and Neutralization of the \u00c5land Islands: A Regime &#8216;in European Interests&#8217; Withstanding Changing Circumstances\u201d, <em>Journal of Peace Research<\/em> 4 (1986), 357-376.<\/p>\n<p>\u00c5sa Gustafsson, \u201cAspects Regarding the Svalbard Demilitarisation in Relation to Norway Joining the Atlantic Alliance in 1949, and Reflections on the \u00c5land Islands\u2019 Demilitarised and Neutralised status in the Event of a Finnish NATO accession\u201d, <em>Journal of Autonomy and Security Studies<\/em>, 2:2 (2018), 10\u201353. <a href=\"https:\/\/jass.ax\/index.php\/jass\/article\/view\/25\">Available open access.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Selected books available in English<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lauri Hannikainen and Frank Horn, <em>Autonomy and Demilitarisation in International Law: The \u00c5land Islands in a Changing Europe<\/em> (1997) Kluwer Law International, the Hague.<\/p>\n<p>Teija Tiilikainen, <em>\u00c5land, Finland and European Security<\/em>, The \u00c5land Islands Peace Institute (2002).<\/p>\n<p>Christer Ahlstr\u00f6m, <em>Demilitarised and Neutralised Territories in Europe<\/em> (2004) The \u00c5land Islands Peace Institute.<\/p>\n<p>Susanne Eriksson, \u201c\u00c5land \u2013 A demilitarised and neutralised territory\u201d, in Eriksson et al, Islands of Peace. \u00c5land\u2019s autonomy, demilitarisation and neutralisation (2006) The \u00c5land Islands Peace Institute, 9\u201436.<\/p>\n<p>Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark, \u201c\u00c5lands Demilitarisation and Neutralisation: Continuity and Change\u201d, in Sia Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark (ed.), <em>The \u00c5land Example and Its Components \u2013 Relevance for International Conflict Resolution <\/em>(2011) The \u00c5land Islands Peace Institute, 28\u201449.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong><span lang=\"SV-FI\">Selected material available in Swedish<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Mikaela Bj\u00f6rkholm och Allan Rosas, <em>\u00c5lands\u00f6arnas demilitarisering och neutralisering<\/em>, Meddelande fr\u00e5n \u00c5lands kulturstiftelse (1990).<\/p>\n<p>Christer Ahlstr\u00f6m, <em>Demilitariserade och neutraliserade omr\u00e5den i Europa<\/em>, Forskningsrapport fr\u00e5n \u00c5lands fredsinstitut, meddelanden fr\u00e5n \u00c5lands h\u00f6gskola nr 7, Mariehamn (1996).<\/p>\n<p>Ove Bring, Lauri Hannikainen, Pertti Joenniemi och Krister Wahlb\u00e4ck, <em>\u00c5land p\u00e5 den s\u00e4kerhetspolitiska agendan<\/em>, Rapport fr\u00e5n symposiet \u201dHur utveckla \u00c5lands demilitarisering och neutralisering?\u201d 30.11.1995, Meddelanden fr\u00e5n \u00c5lands h\u00f6gskola nr.8, Mariehamn (1996).<\/p>\n<p>Teija Tiilikainen, <em>\u00c5land, Finland och europeisk s\u00e4kerhet<\/em>, \u00c5lands fredsinstitut (2002).<\/p>\n<p>Christer Ahlstr\u00f6m, <em>Demilitariserade och neutraliserade omr\u00e5den i Europa<\/em>, \u00c5lands fredsinstitut (2004).<\/p>\n<p>Susanne Eriksson, \u201d\u00c5land \u2013 demilitariserat och neutraliserat omr\u00e5de\u201d i Eriksson m.fl. <em>Fredens \u00f6ar. \u00c5lands sj\u00e4lvstyrelse, demilitarisering och neutralisering<\/em>, \u00c5lands fredsinstitut (2006) 9\u201435.<\/p>\n<p>Graham Robins och Jenny Lucenius, \u201dDemili- vad\u00e5?: demilitariseringens ABC\u201d (2006).<\/p>\n<p>Kenneth Gustavsson, <em>\u00c5lands\u00f6arna \u2013 en s\u00e4kerhetsrisk? Spelet om den demilitariserade zonen 1919-1939,<\/em> PQR-kultur (2012).<\/p>\n<p>\u00c5lands landskapsregering, <em>\u00c5lands demilitarisering och neutralisering \u2013 Handbok f\u00f6r landskapets myndigheter <\/em>(2015)<a href=\"https:\/\/www.regeringen.ax\/sites\/www.regeringen.ax\/files\/attachments\/page\/policy-demilitarisering-neutralisering.pdf\">tillg\u00e4nglig online.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u00c5sa Gustafsson, \u201dGr\u00e4nsbevakningens f\u00f6r\u00e4ndrade befogenheter: Fr\u00e5gor om transparens och demilitarisering\u201d, i Spiliopoulou \u00c5kermark (red.) <em>Styr \u00e5l\u00e4nningarna sitt \u00f6de? <\/em><em>Demokratiperspektiv p\u00e5 \u00c5land<\/em>, Cavannus (2021).<\/p>\n<p>Publications of the \u00c5land Islands Peace Institute can be ordered <a href=\"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/publications\/shop\/\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The status of the \u00c5land Islands has been regulated through a long row of international agreements. \u00c5land has been demilitarised since 1856 and neutralised since 1921. Put shortly, demilitarisation\u00a0means the following: \u00c5land cannot be fortified No military forces are allowed on \u00c5land Manufacturing, importing, and transporting of arms o and implements of war are forbidden Finland may only let light warships (e.g. not submarines) visit the islands from time to time Only Finnish military aircraft may fly over \u00c5land, but not land other than in a case of emergency &nbsp; In addition to this, the \u00c5land neutralisation means that \u00c5land should be kept out of war. \u00c5land may not, directly or indirectly, be used for any purpose connected with military operations. If the Baltic Sea is directly affected by war, Finland may temporarily lay mines to protect Finland (including \u00c5land) against attacks over \u00c5land. The security on \u00c5land is assured, mainly by the Police (which is among the competences of \u00c5land according to the Autonomy Act of \u00c5land) and the Finnish Border Guard (which is the responsibility of the state) which in peacetime is a part of the police force but can be put under the authority of the Ministry [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[608],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28281"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28475,"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28281\/revisions\/28475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/peace.ax\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}