The Treaty of Paris: Demilitarisation of the Aland Islands

» John_Barr - Demilitarisation of the Aland Islands

This posting is a catch-up on direct e-mail correspondence between Graham Robins of the Aland Board of Antiquities and Project Leader of the Bomarsund Site, and myself. We both feel that the subject will benefit from exposure to a wider audience and will hopefully attract additional comment.

The text of Graham's first message:

I have just read your article regarding the Treaty of Paris, 1856, on the Suite101 homepage. I found it very interesting, particularly with regard to the demilitarisation of the Åland Islands: "Orlov had accepted without demur Britain's demand to demilitarise the Aaland Islands."
I have also recently read Trevor Royle's account of the Crimean War (1999) and was interested to note that his account of the peace negotiations in 1856, particularly the British approach, is not what I have read, for example, in Greenhill & Giffard's "The British Assault on Finland" or the Swedish-language publications. My understanding was that the Åland Islands were demilitarised in order to limit Russian expansion in the Baltic Sea region and to place a buffer between the Russian Empire and Sweden (even that it was Sweden that pushed for the inclusion of Åland's demilitarisation in the negotiations). Royle gives all this a subtle twist by stating that the inclusion of Åland's demilitarisation, together with other requirements as part of the fifth clause was intended to make it impossible for Russia to accept the peace terms, thereby extending the war and allowing Britian to inflict more damage on Russia's military capability - perhaps Kronstadt being the most obvious target. If this is true then it means that the demilitarisation of the Åland Islands is something of a bi-product of altogether more hostile intentions from the British. What is your opinion?
Why this is so interesting is that the Åland government is intending to invest sizeable sums of money in the commemoration of Åland's demilitarisation and I feel that it is important to get as close to the truth as is possible after 150 years. Åland's demilitarisation is held up in discussions regarding conflicts around the world as being a model of conflict solution - but was this more by good luck than by good management? I work for the Åland Board of Antiquities as project leader for the site of Bomarsund, the Russian fortress that was attacked and destroyed by allied forces in August 1854.
I would be interested to hear what you think on the subject. It would also be interesting for me to know if there are original protocols from the various sessions in Paris, in which language these exist and if it is possible to gain access to them.
Best wishes
Graham Robins

-- posted by John_Barr