WORLD : Queen, Iceland Warm Relations

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Queen Elizabeth II began the first visit to Iceland by a British monarch today, underlining a new warmth between two countries at odds for decades over fishing rights.

The so-called “cod wars” of the late 1950s and 1970s followed Iceland’s unilateral extension of exclusive fishing rights in four stages between 1952 and 1975, in order to protect its main livelihood.

Eventually Britain accepted Iceland’s 200-mile fishing zone in return for certain fishing rights.

Iceland’s woman president, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, and members of the government greeted the queen at Keflavik Airport at the start of her two-day visit.

She inspected ancient manuscripts of Icelandic Sagas, walked through central Reykjavik and toured the national gallery. The Queen and Prince Philip were later flying to Canada.