Moscow Welcomes Faeroe Islands’ Continuing Cooperation with Russia and Sees Independence of Archipelago as a Possibility

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Sept. 21 – The decision of the government of the Faeroe Islands, which belong to Denmark but are autonomous, to continue to cooperate with Russia despite please by Copenhagen and Brussels to stop is a most welcome development, according to Moscow commentator Aleksey Baliyev.

            The Faroes, an archipelago of some 1400 square kilometers with approximately 55,000 residents, have had a fishing agreement with Moscow since 1977; and because the Faroes are not part of the European Union have been able to reject calls to end that accord, the commentator says (stoletie.ru/rossiya_i_mir/farery_mal_zolotnik_da_dorog_262.htm).

            Copenhagen has been increasing its military presence on the archipelago, but the Faroes authorities have resisted holding NATO exercises there, yet another example of the way the mixed status of the islands in the North Atlantic are helping Russia avoid complete isolation and economic problems.

            Many people in the Faroes have long been talking about taking the next step, Baliyev says, and pursuing independence from Denmark. That talk quieted after the Faroes authorities decided to take it off the table to show their solidarity with Greenland and Denmark against American efforts to expand its position in Greenland.

            But according to the Moscow commentator, some 65 percent of Faroes residents still support the pursuit of independence, a figure he suggests will grow if Copenhagen and Brussels keep the pressure on – and one that it seems obvious he believes Moscow should both follow and support.