OTTAWA: Canada and Denmark have agreed to create a land boundary to settle long-standing boundary disputes over the sovereignty of an Arctic island.

The new agreement issued by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) says that "within 200 nautical miles, it also modernises the 1973 maritime boundary and creates the maritime boundary in the Lincoln Sea. It also set a continental shelf line in the Labrador Sea beyond 200 nautical miles." The island, called Greenlandic as Tartupaluk and in English Hans Island, is located in the Kennedy Channel in the Nares Strait between Greenland and Canada, according to the release, and is around 1.2 square kilometres in size, deserted, and devoid of flora or fauna.

According to GAC, the island has a traditional, symbolic, and historic significance to the local inhabitants, and the two parties have discussed the island's sovereignty for more than 50 years.

"Continued access to and freedom of movement on the entire island for Inuit and local people living in Avanersuaq, Kalaallit Nunaat, and Nunavut, Canada, including for hunting, fishing, and other related cultural, traditional, historic, and future activities, will be maintained," the release stated, adding that a practical and workable border-implementation regime for all visitors will be established.

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