Posted on 06/17/2014 5:04:16 PM PDT by Leifur
Iceland was not amongst the countries invited to take part in a conference on the world’s oceans, due to the continued practice of whale hunting.
RÚV reports that the conference – Our Ocean – is hosted by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Many countries around the world have been invited to take part in the two-day conference, where subjects such as pollution and sustainability in our world’s oceans will be discussed.
Iceland, despite having sought to participate, has not been invited to take part in the conference, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says this because of whale hunting.
While current Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson declined to comment, former Foreign Minister Össur Skarphéðinsson told reporters that the snub was “the most serious action that the Americans have used in their fight against Icelandic whaling”, adding that more punitive measures should be expected in the future.
The news should be of little surprise to many Grapevine readers. As reported last April, the White House issued a statement, signed by US President Barack Obama, which outlined a number of directives the US planned against Iceland due to whaling.
Amongst these directives were to have “the Department of State … re-examine bilateral cooperation projects and, where appropriate, to base U.S. cooperation with Iceland on the Icelandic government changing its whaling policy” as well as to have “[c]abinet secretaries and other senior Administration officials … evaluate the appropriateness of visits to Iceland in light of Iceland’s resumption of fin whaling and ongoing trade in fin whale parts and products.”
“I believe that continuing focus on Icelandic whaling activities is needed to encourage Iceland to halt commercial whaling and support international conservation efforts,” the US president said. “Just as the United States made the transition from a commercial whaling nation to a whale watching nation, we must enhance our engagement with Iceland to facilitate this change.”
Yes, and over just such a small matter, or as our finance minister said, why threatening sanctions or worsening relations over an internal matter that does not concern others? He mentioned then f.e. that Iceland never had let it affect its relationship with the US that it conducts death penalties on humans even though it is to us morally reprehensible. This picture had fun with that comment, and in it he is saying: ,,What? I thought we could use the chair to get the killings up to the stage you call: The Moral High Ground”
http://www.visir.is/article/20140620/SKODANIR07/140629985
Well, it would be in icelandic: Orðið á götunni, which would be translated as ,,the word on the street”. Other could be: Gróa á Leiti, which is a reference to a fictional caracter that spread rumors, but Gróa can be understood as something course. But as it is an english language paper (probably the only state supported such paper in the country, as it is pretty much paid for through the tourism office) in the country, which is a sad thing as it is VERY leftwing in its discussions, but using an english epitheth for it is then quite understandable.
As english is a second language to me, I don´t understand many acronyms and expressions that are second nature to natives, can you explain to me what you are saying? I tried to google what the acronmy MYOP stood for but came up with nothing.
Is he going to this conference? Oh, then I understand why the US would throw a 70 year relationship with a staunch ally overboard...
Well, of course we care, it is a snub from the power that purports itself as the protector of the weak and small nations in the international order and thus the supposed champion of freedom, snubbing a staunch ally over the most important issue of that ally, the use of its marine resources, in which we have gained a very valuable experience and knowledge and consider ourself to be a leader in the world despite our smallness. Having a world ocean summit without Iceland is like having a world economic summit without the US.
Norway has oil, they are never threatened...so I know of. We are just small and can easily be kicked around...well, at least so people tend to think...
No thank you for the interest you have always shown...maybe I should start to be active here again, and create the Iceland related ping list I always intendet...
M.Y.O.B.
Mind Your Own Business (Don’t interfere in matters that are not your concern.)
I beliwe the second one is the correct...I looked at the page, where they talked about sustainable fishing, which is exactly Iceland´s expertise and where we are the world leader, and there is no mention of our solution, which is Individually Transferable Quatas, the only system that really works, privatization in effect. All about top down aproaches it seemed to me.
You are the second one to mention him, is he going? Well, as i said before, then it is all understandable, I mean if you have to choose between a passing movie star or a staunch ally of 70 years with thorough understanding of sustainable use of its marine resources.
EXACTLY! We have been eating whale meat since the onset of our history as can be read about in the Icelandic Saga´s...how are we less native and less connected to the use of our marine resources than the escimo´s? The US in fact hunts whales that are really endangered, not like we do, only those that are in abundance in our waters.
Haha, always wanted a contrarian T - Shirt with that! Although I am more for harpooning them...and then eating, and you can´t really do that with them all nuked up...
I have never heard about it being used for dog food, maybe some leftovers (which are many in such a big animal) like the guts or something, but the meat is like the most tender beef and is a very valuable commodity f.e. in Japan. Just imagine the thickest, juciest beef steak you have ever had, and multiply it by 10...
Ah, thank you, now I understand. Yes, it is not as we are doing anything wrong, just managing our marine resources in a sustainable manner like is neccasery for us to live off them.
Why people can´t get out of their western guilt for nearly wiping out some of the whale speacies (we banned whaling around iceland to protecth them in 1915) now that many of the whale species have reached the numbers it is quite alright, even neccesery to start harvesting them in order to keep the oceans I can´t understand.
It has obviously become an industry, portrayting the big animals with big cute eyes as a litteral cash cow for the environmentalists. Maybe it is because we don´t feel guilty, that we cannot understand the mentality of banning it, now that the research shows that these species can surely support hunting again.
If you start an Iceland ping list, I would certainly be interested.
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