Greenland advances parliament meeting over U.S. statements

Greenland advances parliament meeting over U.S. statements
Reuters

Greenland’s parliament will bring forward a meeting to discuss its response to recent U.S. statements about taking control of the Arctic island, after leaders of all five political parties criticised comments by President Donald Trump.

In a joint statement issued late on Friday, the party leaders said the Inatsisartut session would be advanced to allow a full political debate and to safeguard the rights of Greenlanders.

A new date has not yet been announced.

“We want the U.S. contempt for our country to end,” the leaders said, adding that Greenlanders did not want to be Americans or Danes, but Greenlanders.

The statement was shared on social media by Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

The move follows remarks by Trump, who has said the United States must own Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence over the strategically located and mineral-rich island.

On Friday, Trump said he would “do something on Greenland whether they like it or not”, arguing that the current U.S. military presence on the island, under a 1951 defence agreement with Denmark, was insufficient to guarantee Greenland’s security.

Greenland’s parliament last met in November and had been due to reconvene on 3 February, according to its website.

The island has a population of about 57,000. A 2009 agreement with Denmark recognised Greenlanders’ right to seek independence through a referendum.

All five parties represented in parliament support independence in principle, though they differ over how and when it should be achieved.

In their statement, party leaders said decisions about Greenland’s future must be made without pressure or interference from other countries and called for dialogue based on diplomacy and international law.

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