FNI Report 13/2009 The Grey Zone Agreement of 1978 Fishery Concerns, Security Challenges and Territorial Interests Kristoffer Stabrun The Grey Zone Agreement of 1978 Fishery Concerns, Security Challenges and Territorial Interests Kristoffer Stabrun
[email protected] December 2009 Copyright © Fridtjof Nansen Institute 2009 Title The Grey Zone Agreement of 1978: Fishery Concerns, Security Challenges and Territorial Interests Publication Type and Number Pages FNI Report 13/2009 43 Author ISBN Kristoffer Stabrun 978-82-7613-574-9-print version 978-82-7613-575-6-online version Project ISSN 1504-9744 Abstract The Norwegian-Soviet Grey Zone Agreement – negotiated in 1977, and ratified and put into practice in 1978 – was a provisional solution that enabled the two countries to solve unanswered questions of jurisdiction and resource access in a disputed area in the Barents Sea. The report inquires into why and how the agreement came about as it did, focusing on the Norwegian position and the decision-making of the Norwegian government. The negotiations were initiated on the basis of the need to safeguard the fisheries, to avoid conflict and unstable conditions in the disputed area, and in order to prevent unwanted territorial consequences in the wake of the establishment of extended economic zones at sea. The negotiations leading to this provisional, practical fisheries arrangement became heavily influenced by the same foreign policy objectives as in the delimitation talks. Ultimately it was strategic foreign policy concerns that determined the final decision for the Norwegian government. Key Words Grey Zone, Gråsonen, Grey Zone Agreement, Gråsoneavtalen, Norwegian- Soviet relations, Norwegian Cold War foreign policy, High North policy, nordområdene, Jens Evensen, Nordli-regjeringen, omstridte området i Barentshavet, delelinjen Orders to: Fridtjof Nansen Institute Postboks 326 N-1326 Lysaker, Norway.