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Subject:      Re: Sweden's occupation of Aland (was: Jorn Donner)
From:         Jari Partanen
Date:         1997/09/17
Message-Id:   <342029BD.53@utu.fi>
Newsgroups:   soc.culture.nordic


Jan Böhme wrote:
> Sweden would have taken over Åland if ajudicated by the League of
> Nations, yes. But she was not prepared to do anything that seriously
> distubed the Finns to do so.

The military intervention made by Sweden was already disturbing. Afterwards, withdrawing the troops, and trying to solve the question peacefully, was a better policy. But, if Sweden had no claims, the negotiations should have been between the Ålanders and Finland. Instead, Sweden decided to interfere.

> I talked to the man who was
> undersecretary (statssekreterare) at the Swedish Ministry of Defence
> at the time of the Åland crisis a couple of times about this. His
> account was that the Swedes were rather disappointed with what they
> perceived as aggressive Finnish sabre-rattling over the issue, but
> that there was consensus that Sweden should _not_ back up the ante by
> making any specific claims, military threats or committments. He
> wiewed Sweden essentially as looking after the interest of the
> Ålanders, with no stratergic aspriation whatsoever.

You have heard the Swedish side in the form of a subjective story of one essential person. Thanks for sharing with us these pieces of information. But is this enough to get an objective picture?

> His view of the
> _Finnish_ position vis-à-vis the League of Nations was that Finland
> had made it implicitly clear that Finland would under no circumstances
> accept handing over Åland to Sweden, and was prepared to contest such
> a desicion by military force, if necessary.
>
> Please note, that by the time of the settlement in the League of
> Nations, the Swedish troops, wich were on Åland only for a very short
> time, were _long_ gone from the islands.

There is a contradiction here. There no longer was a military threat by Sweden (as you explain), and Åland was fully in control of Finland at the time, when the settlement was made. But Finland was still willing to let the League of Nations decide, even though Finland _already had_ the islands! It was Finland, who could no longer gain anything more (expect satisfaction of trying to be fair, and be approved by others).

...
> Because there was nothing for Sweden in the settlement. The Finns got
> sovereignity over Åland, the Ålanders got far-reaching guarantees for
> the maintenace of its linguistic integrity. The Swedes got nothing.
> Had they really wanted something for themselves, I daresay the
> settlement _would_ have included a litle piece of candy for them, too.

You view of the way how settlements were made is rather cynical. I have a more idealistic view, that the decision was made trying to follow the principles of justice of that time, taking into account history, geography, culture, economy, international laws, etc.

Best regards,
Jari P.

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