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Lúdvik Jósepsson (Icelandic: Lúðvík Aðalsteinn Jósepsson) (16 June 1914 – 18 November 1994, born in Nes in Norðfjörður) Jósepsson was an Icelandic politician, he was a member of the People's Alliance (Iceland) and party chairman in 1977–1980. He was fisheries minister in 1956–1958 and 1971–1974, and was a key Icelandic player of the Cod Wars at the time, stating that "the basis for our independence is economic independence".

Career

Jósepsson completed a data engineering degree in Akureyri in 1933. He worked as a teacher at the secondary school in Neskaupstað 1934–1943. He worked in shipping 1944–1948, and then as CEO of the Bavarian Neskaupstadur shipping company until 1952.

Jósepsson was a member of the People's Alliance and the party's chairman between 1977 and 1980, Minister of Fisheries and Minister of Commerce between 1956 and 1958 and 1971–1974 and a member of the United Nations General Assembly in 1969. He was a member in the board of directors of Landsbanki from 1980 until his death.

The Cod Wars

Jósepsson was fisheries minister in 1956–1958 and 1971–1974, and was a key Icelandic player of the Cod Wars at the time, stating during the 1970s that "the basis for our independence is economic independence". During the First Cod War of 1958, Jósepsson's links with the USSR and communist ideology brought him into conflict with other members of the government and the opposition Independence Party (Iceland). For example, While Iceland tried to get support for its extension of its fishing limits at the Nordic fisheries conference, Jósepsson was in the USSR negotiating loans for new trawlers. The opposition Independence Party accused that Jósepsson's actions of created a belief that the Icelandic extension was inspired by Russia which used it to also support Communist China's extension to a 12-mile limit.

In addition, Jósepsson was accused by the conservative newspaper Morgunblaðið of being influenced by the USSR who were trying to alienate Iceland from the Western Bloc and NATO. In this, even the normally supportive social democratic newspaper Alþýðublaðið argued that 'The Communists' efforts to use the fishery limits issue to alienate Iceland from the democratic countries are extremely dangerous to Iceland's cause...’.

References

1. Profile on the Icelandic Parliament website
2. Interview by the BBC in 1973 on YouTube
3. Interview by the BBC in 1973 on YouTube
4. The Times, 15 October 1958. (Key points are highlighted)
5. Morgunblaðið, 12 October 1958 (In Icelandic)
6. The Times, 15 October 1958. (Key points are highlighted)
7. Alþýðublaðið, 12 October 1958 (In Icelandic)
8. The Times, 15 October 1958. (Key points are highlighted)

• 1914 births
• 1994 deaths
• Government ministers of Iceland