Greenland does not want to be American or Danish, says the Prime Minister Politics News
Mute Egede, who earlier said the territory was not for sale, stressed the desire of the people to be “masters in their own house”.
Greenlanders don’t want to be Americans or Danes, the Arctic island’s prime minister said, after US President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out the use of military force to conquer the territory.
Prime Minister Mute Egede, who insisted on it territory “not for sale” after Trump flagged his “ownership and control” intentions last month, expressing his openness to working with the United States at a news conference in Copenhagen on Friday.
However, he also highlighted Greenland’s aspirations for independence, which have gained momentum in recent years as Danish colonial abuses of the predominantly Inuit population came to light.
“Greenland is for Greenlanders. We don’t want to be Danes, we don’t want to be Americans. We want to be Greenlanders,” he said at a press conference together with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“We have a desire for independence, a desire to be masters in our own house… This is something that everyone should respect,” Egede said.
“But this does not mean that we are severing all ties, all cooperation and all relations with Denmark,” he added.
He also pointed out that Greenland is part of the North American continent and “a place that Americans see as part of their world.” He said he was open to talking with Trump about what “unites us.”
“Cooperation is dialogue. Cooperation means you will work on solutions,” he said.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who also attended the press conference, said: “The debate on Greenland’s independence and the latest announcements from the US show us great interest in Greenland. Events that triggered many thoughts and feelings for many in Greenland and Denmark.
“The USA is our closest ally and we will do everything to continue strong cooperation,” she said.
“absolute necessity”
Trump refused to rule out the use earlier this week military or economic forces to bring Greenland under US control. Trump said last month that “ownership and control” of Greenland is an “absolute necessity” for the US as it seeks to counter growing Russian and Chinese interest in the Arctic region.
Trump previously proposed buying Greenland during his first term as president from 2017 to 2021, even postponing a visit to Denmark in 2019 after Frederiksen rejected the idea.
“Privately” visit this week to the territory by his son, Donald Trump Jr., fueled further speculation that the president-elect will push to buy Greenland when he takes office on Jan. 20.
The US maintains a military base in the northern part of the strategically important territory, where 57,000 people live.
Greenland was a Danish colony from 1721 to 1953, but is now a self-governing Danish territory. In 2009, the election secured the right to independence.
