“Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and never will be. We must not be allowed to fail in our long struggle for freedom,” Greenland government leader Mute Egede wrote in a statement. Dad sent it to Denmark’s DR station.
The above statement is said to be in response to US President-elect Donald Trump’s latest comments regarding the ownership of an icy island owned by Denmark but located east of Canada and the US.
Seaport in Nuuk, capital of Greenland
According to Reuters, Mr. Trump on the weekend announced the nomination of former US ambassador to Sweden Ken Howery to be ambassador to Denmark and commented on Greenland.
“For the sake of national security and freedom in the world, the United States finds it absolutely necessary to own and control Greenland,” Mr. Trump wrote on social networks.
Mr. Egede rejected the US idea but emphasized his readiness to cooperate with international partners including the US.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s office also sent a notice to DR saying there was no further comment beyond what Mr. Egede mentioned, which is that Greenland is not for sale but is ready to cooperate, according to Xinhua.
Opposition Conservative Party MP Rasmus Jarlov said that the Danish government must clearly affirm that control of the island is not something that can be discussed or negotiated. Mr. Jarlov, head of the defense committee in the Danish parliament, also proposed banning and reacting to foreign activities aimed at controlling Danish territory.
Mr. Trump said the US could reclaim the Panama Canal
In 2009, Greenland gained greater autonomy but still depends on Denmark in many aspects such as defense and foreign affairs. Greenland has an area of more than 2.1 million km22 But there are only about 56,000 people, most of whom live in the southwest coastal region, whose main economic activities are marine occupations despite being rich in mineral and oil and gas resources. The US currently maintains a military base on the island.
In 2019, Mr. Trump offered to buy Greenland but was immediately rejected by the Danish government.
Recently, he also made comments related to the idea of merging Canada into a US state or “reclaiming” control of the Panama Canal because shipping fees are too high.
