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Sweden was not willing to accept the Storting's decision
of 7 June to dissolve the union without further ado. For the Riksdag, it was
important to satisfy public opinion, which was demanding compensation for the
severance of the union. On 27 July, the Riksdag approved their conditions.
Among these conditions were talks to decide the requirements for lawful
dissolution of the union. Norway agreed to this, and the talks were held in the
Swedish town of Karlstad in the border county Värmland. The most
contentious requirement was that Norway would have to agree to a demilitarised
zone along the national border in the south. This meant that both historical
and new fortresses would have to be demolished within a broad zone. In
addition, Sweden wanted to have an agreement that ensured the Swedish
reindeer-herding Samis the right to use land on both sides of the border. Other
requirements concerned ensuring transit traffic and regulating shared
watercourses.
The negotiations were fairly dramatic at times and lasted
from 31 August to 23 September, with a breakdown in negotiations from 7 to 13
September. While the talks were in the most critical phase, the military
tension was also mounting. In Norway, troops were mobilised when the talks
resumed after the breakdown. On 23 September, agreement was reached, partly
because both parties had been exposed to a certain amount of pressure from the
Great Powers to be willing to give a little. The Treaty of Karlstad was thus a
compromise where both parties yielded on some points. In the subsequent
debates, the Norwegian government's acceptance of the dismantling of the border
defences in particular was perceived as a national betrayal and relinquishing
of the newly won Norwegian freedom. Despite stifled resistance from the
indignant nationalistic opponents of the agreement, the treaty was endorsed by
both the Storting and the Riksdag on 9 and 13 October respectively, ensuring a
peaceful outcome to the union conflict.
According to the agreement, the Norwegian border defences
were to be demolished within eight months of the signing of the treaty in
September. This was done. The demolished defences were inspected by an
international commission that finished its work in the middle of June 1906,
concluding that the defences had been dismantled in accordance with the Treaty
of Karlstad. |
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