Pirjo Kleemola-Juntunen

Saila Heinikoski

Athanasia Spiliopoulou Åkermark

Introduction : the goal and structure of the book -- The legal regulation of the demilitarisation and neutralisation of the Åland islands -- The law of the sea and the demilitarisation of Åland -- Regional security co-operation and the Åland islands -- Outlook and conclusions

The Åland Islands

Demilitarisation and International Law in Context

Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark

The demilitarisation and neutralisation of the Åland Islands is a confirmation of, and an exception to, the collective security system in present-day international affairs. Its core idea is that there is no need for military presence in the territory of the islands and that they are to be kept out of military activities. A restricted use of military force has a confidence building effect in cases where competing interests may be so intense that banning the very presence of military force remains the only viable option. The regime of the Åland Islands is the result of pragmatic and contingent political compromises. As such, the case of the Åland Islands offers an alternative trajectory to the increased militarisation we witness around the world today. Through parliamentary and archival materials, international treaties and academic works, the authors examine the legal rules and institutional structures of the demilitarisation regime. In this process they reassess core concepts of international law and international affairs, such as sovereignty and security, and introduce a theoretical view on the empirical case study of the Åland Islands. The book covers legal, political and policy discursive aspects of demilitarisation, international co-operation, defence and security matters around the Baltic Sea with a broader European and global relevance. It can be a source of inspiration for all those in search of constructive efforts that can address territorial disputes and security challenges.

Demilitarization and International Law in Context

"The Åland Strait is a particularly important sea route connecting the Gulf of Bothnia with the Baltic Sea between Sweden and the Åland Islands. The Åland Strait is closely connected to the Åland Islands, which were demilitarised in the international legal treaty ending the Crimean War in the 1850s. Following World War I, the Åland Strait was also regulated by the 1921 Convention relating to the Non-fortification of and Neutralisation of the Åland Islands. This book...[examines] passage rights in the Åland Strait according to the law of the sea and its long history in times of war and peace."--

Pirjo Kleemola-Juntunen

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