ASIATODAY.ID, COPENHAGEN – Greenlandic Prime Minister Mute Egede has reiterated the island’s ambition to gain independence from Denmark, stating that the Greenlandic people do not want to be either Danish or American.
Egede delivered the remarks on Friday during a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen.
Greenland’s leader expressed a readiness to “talk” with US President-elect Donald Trump, who has repeatedly signaled a desire to acquire the world’s largest island, claiming Washington’s ownership of the Danish overseas territory was an “absolute necessity” for its national security.
At the same time, Egede reiterated Greenland’s strive for independence, stating its people wanted neither Copenhagen nor Washington to rule over them.
“Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American,” he stated.
“The desire for independence, the wish to be in one’s own house, is probably understood by all people in the world,” Egede stressed, adding that an independence vote “will come soon.”
The prime minister said he believed Trump’s refusal to rule out the use of force to acquire Greenland was “serious,” but promised to continue working with the US in the future.
From the early 19th century to the 1950s, Greenland was a territory under full control of Denmark. During World War Two, it was occupied by the US after Denmark proper was captured by Nazi Germany. Currently, the island hosts a US military base and the infrastructure for an early warning system for ballistic missiles.
In recent decades, meanwhile, the island has grown increasingly autonomous and was granted home rule in 1979, ultimately getting the right in 2009 to declare independence if a referendum passes.
Ready to talk to Trump
Mute Egede has said he is prepared to speak with US President-elect Donald Trump, who has stated that ownership of the Danish overseas territory is an “absolute necessity” for American national security.
Trump, who takes office on January 20, refused to rule out military force or coercive economic methods to secure US ownership of the island, in a statement on Tuesday.
At a press conference alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen on Friday, Egede was asked whether he had been in contact with Trump. “No, but we are ready to talk,” he said.
Asked about Trump’s refusal to rule out force in his goal of acquiring the island, Egede replied that he thinks the statement was “serious,” but “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.” Egede noted that international cooperation with allies is very important, and that the island will continue working with the US in the future.
Greenland was allowed home rule by Denmark in 1979, and granted the right to declare independence via a referendum in 2009.
The Arctic island’s pro-independence leader reiterated this ambition in Friday’s press conference.
“The desire for independence, the wish to be in one’s own house, is probably understood by all people in the world,” Egede said. “We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be Americans, we want to be Greenlandic.”
Egede told journalists that an independence “vote will come soon.”
The Danish prime minister noted “a strong desire among many Greenlanders to move towards independence,” an aspiration she described as “both legitimate and understandable.”
Both Frederiksen and Egede rejected Trump’s proposals to buy Greenland in the past. “We are not for sale and never will be for sale,” Egede said in December, after Trump first expressed his renewed interest in the island.
On Thursday, Frederiksen stated that she had proposed a conversation with Trump’s team. “Intensive work is underway with the Americans,” she told Danish TV2. Denmark and its number one ally, the US, share the common goal of “strengthening the security of the Western alliance.”
Greenland hosts a US military base and ballistic missile early-warning infrastructure.
Denmark open to boosting US military presence in Greenland
Denmark has privately reached out to President-elect Donald Trump’s team, showing readiness to discuss boosting the US military presence in Greenland, Axios reported on Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Trump recently ruffled feathers in Copenhagen when he suggested that the US should acquire the self-governing Arctic island from Denmark. He refused to rule out the use of force, but offered little specifics on how his government would convince Denmark to relinquish control over Greenland.
Copenhagen is interested in avoiding a public clash with Trump, and has reached out to the incoming president’s team for clarification of his statements, the outlet said.
The Danish government made it clear that Greenland is not for sale, but also conveyed its willingness “to discuss any other US request regarding the island,” Axios said.
American forces have been stationed on the island since World War II. The US maintains a military base on Greenland, and has a defense agreement with Denmark, under which it can build additional military sites.
Greenland played an important military role during the Cold War, hosting US ballistic missile early-warning infrastructure.
Trump, who takes office on January 20, has said ownership of the island is an “absolute necessity” for US national security.
Both Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s pro-independence leader, Mute Egede, have ruled out selling the overseas territory to Trump. Earlier this week, Frederiksen said she had pitched negotiations to Trump’s team, reaffirming that Copenhagen and Washington share the goal of “strengthening the security of the Western alliance.”
Egede has said he is also ready to talk to the US president-elect. He reaffirmed his commitment to independence at a joint press conference with Frederiksen on Friday.
“Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American,” he said. He added that Greenland will continue to work with the US. (RT)
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