Türkiye’s Delayed Right Step: Spitzbergen/Svalbard Treaty
Polar regions are geographical areas that arouse human curiosity and require a considerable amount of effort to reach. Spitzbergen/Svalbard Archipelago, located within the Norwegian “stewardship” in the Arctic Region, has attracted considerable attention from several different countries since the area was discovered in 1596. Serving as a base for exploring the coasts of the Arctic Ocean and other geographies, the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Archipelago is home to a wide and unique range of marine creatures, such as polar bears, whales, and walruses. The discovery of mineral and energy resources in the later centuries initiated industrialization in this region. Since the late 19th century, several countries, such as Norway, Sweden, the United States, Germany, and Denmark, have established observation and research stations in the area. Until 1920, when the Archipelago held terra nullius status, several countries, including France, Spain, Great Britain, Norway, the Russian Empire, and Denmark, sought to establish sovereignty by asserting territorial claims. Following World War I, on February 9, 1920, the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Treaty was signed in Versailles during the Paris Peace Conference. The treaty, signed by 46 countries today, ensures the principle of equality for the citizens of these countries and does not grant privileges to anyone. Owing to the lack of regard shown to this treaty by defeated countries in the war, such as Germany and Soviet Russia, the Ottoman Empire did not take a side. It can be understood that the newly established Turkish state did not consider becoming a party to the Spitzbergen/ Svalbard Treaty owing to its participation in the National Struggle and the difficult conditions brought about by the war. Türkiye should increase its efforts to participate in the Arctic from cultural, scientific, historical, and commercial perspectives through research bases and technology. Although it may be late to enter the Arctic, attempts to become a party to the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Treaty will contribute to scientific studies and projects related to global climate change, marine life, and energy resources. As of 2022, 5,904 scientists from 52 countries have visited the Spitzbergen/ Svalbard Archipelago for scientific research, including 616 active projects.
Türkiye’nin Geç Atılmış Doğru Adımı: Spitzbergen/ Svalbard Antlaşması
Kutuplar, insanoğlunun merak ettiği ve buralara ulaşmak için çok fazla uğraş verdiği coğrafi bölgelerin başında gelmektedir. Günümüzde Arktika Bölgesi içerisinde Norveç’in “kahyalığında- idari yönetim” bulunan Spitzbergen/Svalbard Takımadaları, 1596 yılındaki keşfinden beri birçok farklı ülkenin dikkatini çekmiştir. Kuzey Buz Denizi kıyılarını ve daha başka coğrafyaları keşfetmek için bir üs konumuna gelen Spitzbergen/Svalbard Takımadaları, özellikle kutup ayıları, balina ve mors gibi deniz canlılarına ev sahipliği yapmaktadır. Daha sonraki yüzyıllarda maden ve enerji kaynaklarının keşfi burada sanayileşmeyi başlatmıştır. 19. yüzyılın sonlarından itibaren Norveç, İsveç, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri (ABD), Almanya ve Danimarka gibi daha birçok ülke bölgeye çeşitli gözlem ve araştırma istasyonları kurmuşlardır. 1920 yılına kadar terra nullius statüsünde bulunan takımadalarında başta Fransa ve İspanya olmak üzere Büyük Britanya, Norveç, Çarlık Rusya’sı ve Danimarka hak iddialarında bulunarak hakimiyet kurmak istemişlerdir. Birinci Dünya Savaşı’nın sonunda Avrupa’da Paris Barış Konferansı’nın yapıldığı günlerde, 9 Şubat 1920’de Versay’da Spitzbergen/Svalbard Antlaşması imzalanmıştır. Bugün 46 ülkenin imza koyduğu antlaşma ile bu ülkelerin vatandaşlarına eşitlik ilkesi geçerli olacak, kimseye imtiyaz tanınmayacaktır. Savaştan mağlup çıkanAlmanya ve Sovyet Rusya gibi Osmanlı Devleti de bu antlaşmaya gereken önemi ver(e)mediğinden taraf olmamıştır. Kurulan yeni Türk Devleti’nin, Millî Mücadele içerisinde yer alması ve savaşın getirdiği zor şartlardan ötürü Spitzbergen/Svalbard Antlaşması’na taraf olmayı düşün(e)medikleri anlaşılmaktadır. Türkiye Kuzey Kutbu’na kültürel, bilimsel, tarihi ve ticari bir perspektiften bakarak araştırma üs ve teknolojisiyle yer alma mücadelesini artırmalıdır. Arktika’ ya girmekte geç kalınmış olsa da Spitzbergen/Svalbard Antlaşması’na taraf olma girişimi küresel iklim değişikliği, deniz canlıları, enerji kaynakları etkileri üzerine yapılacak bilimsel çalışma ve projelere katkı sağlayacaktır. Spitzbergen/Svalbard Takımadaları’nı bilimsel amaçlı araştırma yapmak üzere 2022 yılı itibariyle 52 ülkeden 616 aktif proje olmak üzere 5904 bilim insanı ziyaret etmiştir.
Polar regions are geographical areas that arouse human curiosity and require a significant amount of effort to reach. Spitzbergen/Svalbard Archipelago, located within the Norwegian “stewardship” in the Arctic Region, has attracted considerable attention from several different countries since the area was discovered in 1596. Serving as a base for exploring the coasts of the Arctic Ocean and other geographies, the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Archipelago is home to a wide and unique range of marine creatures, such as polar bears, whales, and walruses. The discovery of mineral and energy resources in later centuries initiated industrialization in this region. Since the late 19th century, several countries, such as Norway, Sweden, the United States, Germany, and Denmark, have established observation and research stations in the area. Until 1920, when the Archipelago held terra nullius status, several countries, including France, Spain, Great Britain, Norway, the Russian Empire, and Denmark, sought to establish sovereignty by asserting territorial claims. Following World War I, on February 9, 1920, the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Treaty was signed in Versailles during the Paris Peace Conference. The treaty, signed by 46 countries today, ensures the principle of equality for the citizens of these countries and does not grant privileges to anyone. Owing to the lack of regard shown to this treaty by defeated countries in the war, such as Germany and Soviet Russia, the Ottoman Empire did not declare a position. It can be understood that the newly established Turkish state did not consider becoming a party to the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Treaty owing to its participation in the National Struggle and the difficult conditions brought about by the war. Türkiye should increase its efforts to participate in the Arctic from cultural, scientific, historical, and commercial perspectives through research bases and technology. Although it may be late to enter the Arctic, attempts to become a party to the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Treaty will contribute to scientific studies and projects related to global climate change, marine life, and energy resources. As of 2022, 5,904 scientists from 52 countries have visited the Spitzbergen/Svalbard Archipelago for scientific research, including 616 active projects.
Aside from the similar or different features of the poles, whose extremes were reached in the 20th century, whether the scientific community entirely agrees on the name of the northern part of the two opposite regions is debatable. Regarding the name of the Arctic or Arctic Region located at the North Pole, the scientific environment seems to be divided into two poles like the world.
After the discovery of the archipelagoes known as “A Paradise of Whales,” several European countries’ claims of rights in this area caused a hegemonic struggle. The richness of energy and mineral resources, and the abundance of whales and other valuable organisms, sparked a struggle that lasted over 300 years. The dominant efforts of France, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Empire did not yield material results, and the proposal for dominion under the “Kingdom of Norway, the poorest country in Europe at the time,” was also rejected. Subsequently, attempts to maintain sovereignty by Sweden, Norway, and the Russian Empire faced opposition from the United States and Germany, leading to no resolution.
As mentioned above, the Spitsbergen/Svalbard Treaty was signed during the Paris Peace Conference in Europe, on February 9, 1920, in Versailles. On comprising 13 articles addressing military, political, legal, and environmental aspects, the treaty came into effect. The countries that were parties to the treaty would equally benefit from the territorial waters, fjords, and lands of the archipelagoes and obtain various rights in areas such as residence, fishing, hunting, industry, trade, and education.
