[autom.vertaling] De overeenkomst van de het probleemuitbreiding van de Besluiten van Benes (en)

Iceland and Norway have agreed to sign the enlarging of the European Economic Area (EEA) to include the 10 new European Union members from 1 May 2004, despite the fact that the small alpine principality of Liechtenstein is still refusing to sign.

The Norwegian foreign minister Jan Petersen met his colleagues from Iceland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in Prague on Sunday (2 November).

Liechtenstein's refusal to sign in the middle of last came as a surprise to Norway and Iceland - who decided to postpone the signature in an act of solidarity.

However, the agreement over the weekend by the two Nordic countries is now adding further pressure on Liechtenstein.

Self-determination

Liechtenstein's main claim is to be recognised as an independent state by the participants in the EEA agreement.

There are still no diplomatic relations between Liechtenstein and Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Prince Hans-Adam II believes it makes little sense to quietly accept this policy of non-recognition by the Czech Republic and by Slovakia simply in order to save the European Economic Area, which he thinks will probably no longer exist in two to three years.

Liechtenstein has 34,000 inhabitants. In an interview with the Norwegian News Agency last week H.S.H. Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein defended his country's right to block a trade agreement between 450 million people.

"Has a small country the right to be recognised as a sovereign state and has its population the right to self-determination? If not, where do you draw the line? One million people, ten million, hundred million?", he asked.

Benes Decrees

Liechtenstein's objections are rooted in the so-called Benes Decrees that expelled some 2.5 million Germans from the then Czechoslovakia after World War II.

Liechtenstein was neutral during the war, but its nationals were also among those whose homes and belongings were confiscated without compensation.

EUbusiness reports the country's royal family lost 700 square kilometres (280 square miles) of land, which is equivalent to more than four times the size of the alpine principality.