Guðni says cod wars are part of Iceland’s national story

Historian and former Icelandic president Guðni Th. Jóhannesson presented his new book on the country’s territorial waters dispute at Akureyri Museum on Saturday, saying the cod wars remain part of Iceland’s national story, mbl.is reported.

The book, The Power of the Weak: A History of the Territorial Waters Dispute, 1971–1974, draws on years of research, a wide range of sources and interviews with dozens, if not hundreds, of people involved in the conflicts, Guðni said. He said he had aimed to make it readable and engaging while remaining faithful to the evidence.

Guðni said the history was dramatic and still relevant to Icelanders. He pointed to recent debate about possible Icelandic membership in the European Union, saying questions of control over the country’s resources remain prominent in public discussion.

He said the book recounts disagreements among Icelanders and compromises made during the long dispute, alongside what he described as Iceland’s eventual victory. Guðni said the country should be able to acknowledge that its people did not always agree or always get things right, while also looking back with pride on what he called a struggle over vital interests.

Guðni was travelling around the country to present the book. After his appearance in Akureyri, he was on his way to Siglufjörður for a meeting hosted by the Siglufjörður Academic Society, with plans to continue west to the fjords and, if all went well, east.