Greenland wants to be independent, not American or Danish, says premier

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Greenland does not want to be American or Danish, but independent, according to the Arctic island’s prime minister, at the end of a tumultuous week following the presidential election of US President-elect Donald Trump. refusal to rule out force to take control of the area.

Mute Egede said the “status quo is not an option” as he outlined the huge and geopolitically important island of 57,000 people’s desire to have “its own voice” by gaining independence from Denmark and rejecting Trump’s attempts to buy it. Greenland.

“We don’t want to be Danish, we don’t want to be American, we want to be Greenlandic,” he said at a news conference on Friday.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the same meeting that Greenland’s desire for independence is “legitimate and understandable”, while calling US interest in the autonomous territory “positive”.

Frederiksen added that he wants to keep together the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Denmark, Greenland and the autonomous territory of the Faroe Islands. “I personally believe that if we are together, we will be stronger in the global game,” he emphasized.

Trump this week refused to rule out using military force against the NATO ally to bring Greenland under US control, as Washington seeks to counter growing Russian and Chinese interest in the Arctic.

The world’s largest non-continental island is already home to a US military base and is considered a hub for Arctic security, as well as the start of two new sub-polar shipping routes, and has large amounts of rare earths and other minerals.

Greenland, which is self-governing on most issues except foreign and security policy provided by Denmark, has long wanted independence but has struggled to find enough economic growth to sever ties with Copenhagen.

Egede, who has repeatedly stressed that Greenland is not for sale, said the territory was open to cooperation with the United States, as it had long been, but insisted that its fate would be decided by Greenlanders is “serious”, but Greenlanders must avoid “hysteria”.

“When I speak with the head of another country, I have to be with the Danish ambassador. These are the things where we want to have our own voice,” he added.

Frederiksen is seeking a meeting with Trump to discuss the issue and said the president-elect did not raise the topic of Greenland with him when they spoke after his election victory in November.

“It is positive for us to see the growing interest of the US in Greenland. . There is a need for closer cooperation in terms of investments and business, exploitation of minerals. On the Danish side, we are happy to make further investments in Greenland,” added the Danish Prime Minister.

Danish politicians, including Frederiksen, reacted with anger and derision when Trump first proposed buying Greenland in 2019. But this time they responded in a much more nuanced way, insisting that the island is not for sale, but that they want to cooperate. The USA on the Arctic.

Danish ministers have admitted that they have not invested enough in the defense of Greenland, where they have only four ships, observation planes and dog sled patrols. and the US military to fully protect the island.

Chinese companies have tried to invest in Greenland’s airports and several mining projects, but have been rebuffed by the US and Denmark.