‘We Don’t Want to Be Americans,’ Say Greenland Parties

AFP/APP

Nuuk: Greenland’s political parties on Friday firmly rejected suggestions by US President Donald Trump that Washington could use force to seize the mineral-rich Danish autonomous territory, declaring that Greenland’s future must be decided by its own people.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,” leaders of five parties represented in Greenland’s parliament said in a joint statement. “The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.”

The statement came after President Trump reiterated remarks suggesting the United States would take action to control Greenland “whether they like it or not.”

Trump has argued that controlling the strategically located Arctic island is vital for US national security, citing increased military activity by Russia and China in the region. “We’re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland,” he said on Friday. “So we’re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way.”

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Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, already hosts a US military base. Denmark and several European allies have expressed alarm at Trump’s comments, warning they undermine international norms and regional stability.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen cautioned that any invasion of Greenland would bring an end to “everything,” referring to the transatlantic NATO defence alliance and the post-World War II security framework.

Trump, however, played down Danish concerns, despite Denmark being a long-standing US ally. “I’m a fan of Denmark, too. They’ve been very nice to me,” he said, adding that historical claims did not confer ownership. “The fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn’t mean that they own the land.”

While Russia and China have increased their presence in the Arctic in recent years, neither country has laid claim to Greenland.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet next week with Denmark’s foreign minister and representatives from Greenland to discuss the issue.