Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute B. Egede said on Friday that he is ready to negotiate with US President-elect Donald Trump, who previously announced that he wants to bring the Arctic island under US control. Egede urged that the island’s aspirations for independence be respected.
Trump, who will take office on January 20, called US control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory “absolutely necessary”. He did not rule out the possible use of military or economic means, including the imposition of tariffs on Denmark.
At a press conference in Copenhagen, when asked if he had been in contact with Trump, Egede said:
“No, but we are ready to discuss everything that connects us”.
He said they don’t want to be Americans or Danes, they want to be Greenlanders. “We want to become independent, we want to be farmers in our own house (.) Everyone must respect this. However, this does not mean that we would sever all ties, cooperation and relations with Denmark,” he added.
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Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who also attended the press conference, announced
asked Trump for a meeting on Thursday, but doesn’t think it will happen before the inauguration.
On Wednesday, the Danish foreign minister stated that Greenland can become independent if its inhabitants want it, but not by becoming a member state of the United States. “We fully recognize that Greenland has its own aspirations. If these are implemented, Greenland will become independent, but hardly with the intention of becoming a member state of the United States,” stated Lars Lokke Rasmussen. He added that “we are open to discussing with the Americans how we might be able to cooperate even more closely so that American wishes are fulfilled.”
Greenland, with a population of 57,000, was a Danish colony until 1953, and is currently a Danish territory with its own government. In 2009, the autonomy was expanded as a result of a referendum. The United States operates a military base in the northern part of the strategically important island rich in mineral resources.
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Source: nepszava.hu
