2. The UN and Security Council - the Danish priorities and results
Denmark ended its two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on 31 December 2006. The main focus of Denmark’s work in the Security Council has been the strengthening of global security through multilateral solutions based on four priorities: the fight against terrorism, conflict resolution, Africa and the strengthening of international law. During the two-year term, important progress was made on all four priorities and Denmark played a very active role in this regard. Important decisions were also made on Sudan, Iran, North Korea and Lebanon.
Fight against terrorism
The aim of strengthening the UN as the global framework for fighting terrorism was accomplished through the Danish chairmanship of the Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC), established shortly after the attacks on 9/11. During the Danish chairmanship, the Committee reinforced its ability to analyse countries’ implementation of their international obligations, enhanced its cooperation with regional organisations, furthered its role in relation to technical assistance and ensured the integration of human rights aspects in its work.
Documentation
Crusade against Wends and Slavs: At the end of the Viking age, Denmark was ravaged by the heathen Wends living along the south coast of the Baltic. At regular intervals, they raided the Danish coasts and abducted the residents as slaves. The tide turned in 1150. With the Pope’s blessing, the Danish king started a crusade against the Wends. In 1169, Rügen was conquered and the Wends’ holy castle of Arkona was destroyed. Mecklenburg and Pomerania also had to recognize the sovereignty of the Danish king. After the famous battle of Lyndanisse in 1219, when the Danish flag according to legend fell from the sky, Estonia also became part of Valdemar the Victorious’ realm. However, the loosely bound Baltic empire collapsed after Valdemar’s capture by a German prince during a hunt on Lyø in 1223. Laurits Tuxen: The Conquest of Arkona in 1169. Painted 1894. Frederiksborg Museum.
Conflict resolution
Denmark also played a very active role in establishing the new UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The main purpose of the PBC is to help a given country in the difficult transition from war to lasting peace by coordinating the work of all relevant players in the reconstruction and institution-building efforts. In January 2006, Denmark was one of seven members of the Security Council to be elected to the PBC. The establishment of the PBC is an important step towards securing a comprehensive strategy on conflict resolution. At the same time, the establishment of the PBC -together with the establishment of the Human Rights Council - is the most successful achievement in the UN reform process so far.
Africa
Supporting UN involvement in conflict resolution in Africa was a Danish priority throughout the Security Council membership. Denmark was actively involved in ensuring a targeted and comprehensive approach to the management of Africa’s conflicts and to the establishment of strong African ownership, primarily through the active involvement of the African Union and the support of African mediation efforts in Sudan and the Ivory Coast.
The conflicts in Sudan remained at the top of the Security Council’s agenda throughout the Danish membership. The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on 9 January 2005 led to the deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation in Sudan (UNMIS). Denmark participated in the initial deployment of UNMIS with 45 soldiers.
In May 2006, the Darfur Peace Agreement was signed. However, it did not solve the conflict in Darfur. Although no longer in the Security Council, Denmark continues its efforts to bring peace to Darfur, primarily by working for full deployment of the AU-UN hybrid mission to Darfur and the continued involvement of the international community in Sudan.
Lieutenant-colonel Kim Kisbye has been posted by the Danish armed forces to the Peacekeeping School of Mali, where he is training African officers, who among other things will be deployed on future UN operations. The school contributes to enabling Africa to solve future conflicts on the continent more effectively.
Photo: Klaus Holsting.
Documentation
The Kalmar Union: In 1397, the three Nordic kingdoms were united in a personal union under the reigning Danish Queen Margrete I. In 1380, Denmark and Norway were united under Margrete I and in 1388 the Swedish nobles also recognised her as their ruler. After some internal unrest, the union was formally sealed at a ceremony in the Swedish border town Kalmar, after which the Union was named. On the same occasion, Margrete’s young relative Erik of Pomerania was crowned king of the union, but in reality Margrete ruled with a firm hand until her death in 1412. The union of Denmark and Norway continued until 1814, while Sweden withdrew in 1523. The current federation of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland thus has its origins in the Kalmar Union. Gerrit Honthorst: Margrete I receives the Swedish Crown from Albrecht of Mecklenburg. Painted c. 1645. Frederiksborg Museum. (deposited at Kronborg Castle).
The strengthening of international law
The Security Council plays an important role in ensuring that international law is implemented and upheld. During the Danish Presidency of the Security Council in June 2006, the Council adopted a statement reinforcing key principles of international law. Denmark also consistently worked to ensure that international law was upheld and promoted when the Council was dealing with specific conflicts. The Council’s referral of the situation in Darfur, Sudan, to the International Criminal Court in 2005 is one such example. Another example is the establishment of a Focal Point which receives requests for the delisting of individuals or groups named on the UN Security Council’s Sanction Committee’s lists.
Other issues
Denmark has actively supported Security Council involvement in the handling of the disparate, but equally worrying nuclear issues in relation to North Korea and Iran. In both cases, previous decisions and opinions of the Security Council and the IAEA were disregarded, thus denting confidence in international non-proliferation systems. As events unfolded, it became necessary to adopt sanctions against North Korea and Iran. The sanctions are targeted towards specific matters of concern and intended to persuade both countries to comply with Security Council decisions and adopt a more constructive approach leading to negotiated
solutions. Denmark has actively pursued the non-proliferation mission, for example through undertaking the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) chairmanship in 2006/07, taking leadership in relation to several Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) issues and supporting the implementation of Security Council resolution 1540, including assistance towards a regional seminar held in Beijing.
In relation to Lebanon, Denmark played a proactive role in the intense diplomatic efforts and numerous contacts initiated during the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in August 2006. The diplomatic efforts ultimately led to the adoption of Security Council resolution 1701, which paved the way for the cessation of hostilities and the deployment of an enhanced UNIFIL force. As a manifestation of its commitment to a sovereign and independent Lebanon, Denmark initially contributed two naval vessels to the enhanced UNIFIL force.
This page forms part of the publication 'Factsheet Denmark – Foreign policy' as chapter 2 of 8
Version 1.0. 12-11-2007
Publication may be found at the address http://www.netpublikationer.dk/um/8466/index.htm
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