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NO MANS LAND - THE TEN MOST DISPUTED BORDERS
Progressive Media - Company News
December 15, 2014 Monday
HIGHLIGHT: Ongoing unrest and armed struggles divide nations causing
uproar and protest at home and aboard. From Crimea to the Senkaku
/ Diaoyu Islands, army-technology.com lists the world's ten most
disputed borders.
The Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region has escalated
territorial and border disputes between both nations causing
instability in Ukraine and the formation of a new interim government
led by President, Oleksandr Turchynov.
Crimea was taken over by the Russian Empire during the rule of
Catherine the Great in 1783 and remained part of Russia until 1954,
when it was transferred to Ukraine under the then Soviet leader
Nikita Khrushchev.
In the wake of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, unmarked Russian troops
seized control of Crimea. The Republic of Crimea later held a disputed
referendum that passed with 96% in favour of joining Russia. Ukrainian
Armed Forces subsequently withdrew from Crimea in March 2014 but
despite ceasefire agreements between Russia, Ukraine and rebels;
armed conflict.
The West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied territories
administered in accordance with the Interim Agreement referred to as
Oslo II Accord. A "seam line" separation barrier is being constructed
by Israel along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank.
The Gaza Strip came under the administration of Egypt after the 1948
Arab-Israeli War and was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in
1967. Under agreements signed between 1994 and 1999, Israel transferred
security and civilian obligation for a number of Palestinian-populated
areas of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank to the Palestinian
Authority (PA). Following the death of Palestinian leader Yasir
Arafat in late 2004, Mahmud Abbas from Fatah political party became
the PA president.
Israeli forces subsequently withdrew from the Gaza Strip and four
settlements in the West Bank in 2005, but continue to control air
space, maritime and other approaches to these areas. The Islamic
Resistance Movement, known as HAMAS, took control of the PA government
after winning the Palestinian Legislative Council election in early
2006. In the aftermath violent clashes dominated the region causing
a split between Fatah and HAMAS in 2007. At present HAMAS controls
the Gaza Strip, whereas the West Bank is governed by the PA.
The Golan Heights is a Syrian territory occupied by Israel in the
1967 Six-Day War, which created the Purple Line. Much of the southern
Golan Heights was invaded by Syrian forces before being repelled
by Israeli forces during the Yom Kippur War. A ceasefire agreement
signed between Israel and Syria in 1974 transposed a major portion
of the Golan Heights area to Israel.
Lebanon, which also shares border with the Golan Heights, claims a
small portion of the land known as the Shebaa Farms which was occupied
by Israel during Operation Litani and the area is administered as
part of the Golan Heights. A portion of the Golan Heights, which
farms part of demilitarised zone, is under the military control of
UN peace keeping forces.
About 350 peacekeepers from the United Nations Truce Supervision
Organization (UNTSO) based in Jerusalem observe and supervise ceasefire
and truce agreements in the region.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has witnessed frequent
breaks in ceasefire resulting in hostilities due to the failure of
mediation efforts and force deployment by both the nations.
Despite 95% population of Nagorno-Karabakh being ethnically Armenian,
the area is internationally recognised as being part of Azerbaijan.
The conflict over the territory officially concluded in 1994 with a
ceasefire agreement signed after a six-year war. Tensions, however,
escalated in 2014 due to border clashes resulting in more than a
dozen fatalities on both sides.
Increased tensions are anticipated to disrupt oil and gas exports from
the region as Azerbaijan is one of the major oil and gas exporters
to Europe and Central Asia. As the nation produces 850,000 barrels
of oil a day, the current conflict is expected to have a major affect
on the oil and gas market.
Line of Control (LOC) is the military control line dividing the Indian
and Pakistani-controlled portions of the former princely state of Jammu
and Kashmir. Originally known as the Cease-fire Line, it was renamed
LOC, abiding by the Simla Agreement signed in July 1972. The 740km-long
veered line follows no well defined geographical characteristic.
The part of the early princely state under Indian control is referred
to as the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Controlled by Pakistan, the two
parts of the former princely state are known as Gilgit-Baltistan and
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). LOC is considered one of the world's
most dangerous border lines with frequent skirmishes.
The Indian Armed Forces laid a 550km fencing barrier along the disputed
LOC. The fence mostly covers 150 yards on the Indian-controlled side
and includes land mines. The purpose of the barrier is to prevent
arms importation and infiltration by Pakistani-based separationist
militia groups.
The Korean demilitarised zone (DMZ) is a 250km-long and 4km-wide,
buffer zone separating North and South Korea. The new border was
created under the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement following the
establishment of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the People's
Republic of Korea (North Korea) in 1948.
The DMZ divides the Korean Peninsula into northern and southern parts,
while extending west to east roughly along the 38th parallel, with the
west and east ends lying south and north of the parallel respectively.
Since the establishment of the de facto border line, numerous clashes
and incursions involving North Korea have been reported. South Korean,
the UN, and the US forces discovered four underground tunnels dug by
North Korea through DMZ into South Korean territory between 1974 and
1990. North Korea, however, denied direct involvement in any of these.
Aksai Chin is one of the major disputed border areas between China and
India. The area, which is governed by China as part of Hotan County
in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, is also claimed by India as a portion
of the Ladakh district in Jammu and Kashmir.
China and India fought in the Sino-Indian War of 1962 over Aksai Chin
and Arunachal Pradesh. The two nations, however, signed agreements
in 1993 and 1996 to fete the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In April 2013, a three-week repulsion occurred among Indian and
Chinese forces 30km southeast of Daulat Beg Oldi near the Aksai
Chin-Ladakh LAC. Negotiations between the two nations continued for
about three weeks, and the dispute was resolved in May causing both
sides to withdraw.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia are two partially recognised breakaway
republics in the Caucasus region situated between the Black and the
Caspian seas. South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from
Georgia in the early 1990s. The Russian Federation as well as few UN
member states recognised the two states, but Georgia considers them
as Russian-occupied territories.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia came under control of Russia after the
Russo-Georgian War and Russian military bases were established in
the two republics after the war in 2008. Russian forces subsequently
withdrew from Georgian territory under a ceasefire agreement negotiated
by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy and the European Union.
The demarcation of the South Ossetian boundary in Shida Kartli began
in 2011. Russian troops are installing security fence to separate
the South Ossetia from the rest of Georgia, but the law of Georgia on
Occupied Territories accords the entry into the two breakaway regions
only from Georgia.
The US has 3,200km of border with Mexico and installed protective
barriers between the two countries. The border area between San Diego
in the US and Tijuana in Mexico is considered one of the world's most
dangerous borders.
The varied barrier systems on the border across the urban areas
consist of a secondary barrier with a "No Man's Land" in the middle,
whereas the most violent areas frequented by illegal aliens and drug
smugglers include an improved triple barrier with an anti-climb plate.
According to US Department of Homeland Security statistics revealed
in 2014, 300 border incursions by Mexican military and law enforcement
authorities were recorded since 2004 of which, 152 incidents involved
armed subjects.
The dispute over Senkaku (Diaoyu in Chinese) Islands in the East
China Sea has severely degraded affairs between Japan and China. The
Islands, controlled by Japan and claimed by China, are uninhabited,
but lie in an area containing potential oil and gas reserves.
According to the Japanese government, the nation surveyed the islands
in 1885 and confirmed that the Islands were inhabited and Terra
nullius (Latin: land belonging to no one). China recognised Japanese
sovereignty until 1970s but afterwards claimed (along with Taiwan)
that the islands were not under the control of Japan prior to the
First Sino-Japanese War.
The Japanese government's acquisition of three of the disputed
islands from a private owner in 2012 caused protests in China. The
establishment of "East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone",
including the Senkaku Islands, by China further escalated tensions
between the two Asian countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Progressive Media - Company News
December 15, 2014 Monday
HIGHLIGHT: Ongoing unrest and armed struggles divide nations causing
uproar and protest at home and aboard. From Crimea to the Senkaku
/ Diaoyu Islands, army-technology.com lists the world's ten most
disputed borders.
The Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region has escalated
territorial and border disputes between both nations causing
instability in Ukraine and the formation of a new interim government
led by President, Oleksandr Turchynov.
Crimea was taken over by the Russian Empire during the rule of
Catherine the Great in 1783 and remained part of Russia until 1954,
when it was transferred to Ukraine under the then Soviet leader
Nikita Khrushchev.
In the wake of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, unmarked Russian troops
seized control of Crimea. The Republic of Crimea later held a disputed
referendum that passed with 96% in favour of joining Russia. Ukrainian
Armed Forces subsequently withdrew from Crimea in March 2014 but
despite ceasefire agreements between Russia, Ukraine and rebels;
armed conflict.
The West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied territories
administered in accordance with the Interim Agreement referred to as
Oslo II Accord. A "seam line" separation barrier is being constructed
by Israel along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank.
The Gaza Strip came under the administration of Egypt after the 1948
Arab-Israeli War and was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War in
1967. Under agreements signed between 1994 and 1999, Israel transferred
security and civilian obligation for a number of Palestinian-populated
areas of the Gaza Strip as well as the West Bank to the Palestinian
Authority (PA). Following the death of Palestinian leader Yasir
Arafat in late 2004, Mahmud Abbas from Fatah political party became
the PA president.
Israeli forces subsequently withdrew from the Gaza Strip and four
settlements in the West Bank in 2005, but continue to control air
space, maritime and other approaches to these areas. The Islamic
Resistance Movement, known as HAMAS, took control of the PA government
after winning the Palestinian Legislative Council election in early
2006. In the aftermath violent clashes dominated the region causing
a split between Fatah and HAMAS in 2007. At present HAMAS controls
the Gaza Strip, whereas the West Bank is governed by the PA.
The Golan Heights is a Syrian territory occupied by Israel in the
1967 Six-Day War, which created the Purple Line. Much of the southern
Golan Heights was invaded by Syrian forces before being repelled
by Israeli forces during the Yom Kippur War. A ceasefire agreement
signed between Israel and Syria in 1974 transposed a major portion
of the Golan Heights area to Israel.
Lebanon, which also shares border with the Golan Heights, claims a
small portion of the land known as the Shebaa Farms which was occupied
by Israel during Operation Litani and the area is administered as
part of the Golan Heights. A portion of the Golan Heights, which
farms part of demilitarised zone, is under the military control of
UN peace keeping forces.
About 350 peacekeepers from the United Nations Truce Supervision
Organization (UNTSO) based in Jerusalem observe and supervise ceasefire
and truce agreements in the region.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a disputed region between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has witnessed frequent
breaks in ceasefire resulting in hostilities due to the failure of
mediation efforts and force deployment by both the nations.
Despite 95% population of Nagorno-Karabakh being ethnically Armenian,
the area is internationally recognised as being part of Azerbaijan.
The conflict over the territory officially concluded in 1994 with a
ceasefire agreement signed after a six-year war. Tensions, however,
escalated in 2014 due to border clashes resulting in more than a
dozen fatalities on both sides.
Increased tensions are anticipated to disrupt oil and gas exports from
the region as Azerbaijan is one of the major oil and gas exporters
to Europe and Central Asia. As the nation produces 850,000 barrels
of oil a day, the current conflict is expected to have a major affect
on the oil and gas market.
Line of Control (LOC) is the military control line dividing the Indian
and Pakistani-controlled portions of the former princely state of Jammu
and Kashmir. Originally known as the Cease-fire Line, it was renamed
LOC, abiding by the Simla Agreement signed in July 1972. The 740km-long
veered line follows no well defined geographical characteristic.
The part of the early princely state under Indian control is referred
to as the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Controlled by Pakistan, the two
parts of the former princely state are known as Gilgit-Baltistan and
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). LOC is considered one of the world's
most dangerous border lines with frequent skirmishes.
The Indian Armed Forces laid a 550km fencing barrier along the disputed
LOC. The fence mostly covers 150 yards on the Indian-controlled side
and includes land mines. The purpose of the barrier is to prevent
arms importation and infiltration by Pakistani-based separationist
militia groups.
The Korean demilitarised zone (DMZ) is a 250km-long and 4km-wide,
buffer zone separating North and South Korea. The new border was
created under the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement following the
establishment of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the People's
Republic of Korea (North Korea) in 1948.
The DMZ divides the Korean Peninsula into northern and southern parts,
while extending west to east roughly along the 38th parallel, with the
west and east ends lying south and north of the parallel respectively.
Since the establishment of the de facto border line, numerous clashes
and incursions involving North Korea have been reported. South Korean,
the UN, and the US forces discovered four underground tunnels dug by
North Korea through DMZ into South Korean territory between 1974 and
1990. North Korea, however, denied direct involvement in any of these.
Aksai Chin is one of the major disputed border areas between China and
India. The area, which is governed by China as part of Hotan County
in Xinjiang Autonomous Region, is also claimed by India as a portion
of the Ladakh district in Jammu and Kashmir.
China and India fought in the Sino-Indian War of 1962 over Aksai Chin
and Arunachal Pradesh. The two nations, however, signed agreements
in 1993 and 1996 to fete the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
In April 2013, a three-week repulsion occurred among Indian and
Chinese forces 30km southeast of Daulat Beg Oldi near the Aksai
Chin-Ladakh LAC. Negotiations between the two nations continued for
about three weeks, and the dispute was resolved in May causing both
sides to withdraw.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia are two partially recognised breakaway
republics in the Caucasus region situated between the Black and the
Caspian seas. South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence from
Georgia in the early 1990s. The Russian Federation as well as few UN
member states recognised the two states, but Georgia considers them
as Russian-occupied territories.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia came under control of Russia after the
Russo-Georgian War and Russian military bases were established in
the two republics after the war in 2008. Russian forces subsequently
withdrew from Georgian territory under a ceasefire agreement negotiated
by the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy and the European Union.
The demarcation of the South Ossetian boundary in Shida Kartli began
in 2011. Russian troops are installing security fence to separate
the South Ossetia from the rest of Georgia, but the law of Georgia on
Occupied Territories accords the entry into the two breakaway regions
only from Georgia.
The US has 3,200km of border with Mexico and installed protective
barriers between the two countries. The border area between San Diego
in the US and Tijuana in Mexico is considered one of the world's most
dangerous borders.
The varied barrier systems on the border across the urban areas
consist of a secondary barrier with a "No Man's Land" in the middle,
whereas the most violent areas frequented by illegal aliens and drug
smugglers include an improved triple barrier with an anti-climb plate.
According to US Department of Homeland Security statistics revealed
in 2014, 300 border incursions by Mexican military and law enforcement
authorities were recorded since 2004 of which, 152 incidents involved
armed subjects.
The dispute over Senkaku (Diaoyu in Chinese) Islands in the East
China Sea has severely degraded affairs between Japan and China. The
Islands, controlled by Japan and claimed by China, are uninhabited,
but lie in an area containing potential oil and gas reserves.
According to the Japanese government, the nation surveyed the islands
in 1885 and confirmed that the Islands were inhabited and Terra
nullius (Latin: land belonging to no one). China recognised Japanese
sovereignty until 1970s but afterwards claimed (along with Taiwan)
that the islands were not under the control of Japan prior to the
First Sino-Japanese War.
The Japanese government's acquisition of three of the disputed
islands from a private owner in 2012 caused protests in China. The
establishment of "East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone",
including the Senkaku Islands, by China further escalated tensions
between the two Asian countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress