https://www.theguardian.com/wo...makes-belgium-bigger

The boundary between France and Belgium is believed to have been inadvertently redrawn by a farmer who found the 200-year-old border stone marking the divide in an inconvenient location for his tractor.

The French farmer could theoretically face criminal charges after making Belgium bigger by moving the stone that has marked the border since after the defeat of Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo.

A local amateur historian taking a walk in forest near to the Belgian village of Erquelinnes discovered two weeks ago that the stone dating back to 1819 had been moved 2.29 metres (7.5ft). The farmer’s perimeter fence had also been shifted.

The Franco-Belgian border, stretching 390 miles (620km), was formally established under the Treaty of Kortrijk of 1820.

While amused by the enlargement of his town, David Lavaux, the mayor of Erquelinnes, gently pointed out that the farmer was legally obliged to move the border stone back – and that it would be best not “to create a diplomatic incident”.

“We have no interest in expanding the town, or the country. He made Belgium bigger and France smaller. It’s not a good idea,” Lavaux told the French TV channel TF1. “I was happy, my town was bigger. But the mayor of Bousignies-sur-Roc didn’t agree.

“If [the farmer] shows goodwill, he won’t have a problem, we will settle this issue amicably,” Lavaux added with a smile.

If the farmer fails to comply, the issue could be referred to the Belgian foreign ministry, which might have to summon a Franco-Belgian border commission, dormant since 1930, to settle the exact delimitation of the border.

“We should be able to avoid a new border war,” Aurélie Welonek, the mayor of Bousignies-sur-Roc, told La Voix du Nord.

That’s funny.

This is a rockin good story albeit false news. The mayor is rational and appears to have a good sense of humor, could never be a politician in the US.

quote:

Originally posted by SPWAMike0317:
This is a rockin good story albeit false news.

In what way is it "false news?"

I think Belgium and France should declare war, and go at it.

There must be some way for Germany to get involved and help sort out this dispute.

One thing is for certain: they will not say that ‘Belgium invaded Germany’." Clemenceau's reply when asked how history would remember the German invasion of Belgium in 1914.

Belgium has finally learned its History lessons.

Next up, the fought-over province of Alsace-Lorraine.

“The lights are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them relit again in our lifetime.”

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
I think Belgium and France should declare war, and go at it.

I can see it now: The war of saucy foods

If Belgium and France went through war over the position of a rock, who would lose?

They should definitely fight it out.

They should settle this by Ye Olde Rock Paper Scissors game.
.

Bump the big board to DEFCON 2, flash message traffic to all players, get the subs to launch ready status, flush the bombers. It’s go time

They could throw delicious deserts at each other.

They'll stone ya when you're tryin' to make a buck

I'm more than a little worried that two sovereign powers seem to be operating under the premise that, in 2021, moving a rock actually moved an international border. Technology isn't a panacea but it could be helpful here.

How will they know if the farmer moved it back to its exact, original position?

If someone blasted the stone to dust, would France and Belgium have no boundary?

With today's technology, do countries use precise latitude and longitude or GPS coordinates to define boundary positions?

(DaveL beat me in posting.)

Chocolate and FN vs Cheese, Wine and… Manhurin? Chapuis?

Of course, had this happened on the border between African embassies of theirs, it would not be a joke…

quote:

Originally posted by Rightwire:
If Belgium and France went through war over the position of a rock, who would lose?

The spectators.