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Danish leader and greenland He has stressed that the US will not annex it and is demanding respect for the island’s territorial integrity after Pres. trumpAppointment of special envoy.
Mr Trump named on Sunday Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry As the US special envoy to Greenland, tensions resurfaced over Washington’s interest in the vast, semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is a NATO ally.
Foreign Minister of Denmark, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Expressing particular dismay at Mr. Landry’s support of Trump’s stated cause, he announced the summons to the US ambassador to Copenhagen.
In a joint statement, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and his Greenlandic counterpart, Jens-Fredrik Nielsen, declared: “We have said it before. Now, we say it again: national borders and the sovereignty of states are enshrined in international law. They are fundamental principles. You cannot occupy another country. Not even with arguments about international security.
“Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, and the United States will not annex Greenland. We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity.”
The Trump administration put further pressure on Copenhagen on Monday when it suspended the leases of five large offshore wind projects being built off the US east coast, two of which were being developed by Denmark’s state-controlled Orsted.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly expressed the desire of GreenlandTo become part of the United States, which is largely self-governing, citing security concerns and its valuable mineral resources. He said on Truth Social: “Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our national security, and will vigorously advance our country’s interests for the safety, security, and survival of our allies and indeed the world.”
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mr. Landry, who will take over as Governor of Louisiana in January 2024, thanked the President at the X, saying: “It is an honor to serve in this volunteer position to make Greenland part of the United States. It in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana!”
danish panic
near Greenland and Denmark constantly rejected that idea,
Mr Rasmussen, the foreign minister, told Denmark’s TV2: “I am deeply troubled by this appointment of the special envoy. And I am particularly troubled by his statements, which we find completely unacceptable.”
Earlier, in an emailed statement to Reuters, he said: “We emphasize that everyone, including the US, must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Greenland’s prime minister, Mr Nielsen, said in a post on Facebook: “We have woken up again to a new announcement from the US President. It may seem big, but it changes nothing for us. We decide our own future.”
Aja Chemnitz, a Greenland member of the Danish parliament, said the appointment of the US envoy was not a problem in itself.
“The problem is that they have been given the task of taking over Greenland or making Greenland part of the United States, and there is no desire for that in Greenland,” Ms Chemnitz told Reuters. “There is a desire to respect the future that the majority in Greenland wants, namely to remain their own country and develop their independence over time.”
While trying to ease tensions with the Trump administration last year, NATO ally Denmark has focused on strengthening Greenland’s defense to address White House claims of inadequate security.
strategic value of greenland
Greenland, a former Danish colony with a population of about 57,000, has the right to declare independence under a 2009 agreement but remains heavily dependent on fishing and Danish subsidies.
Its strategic location between Europe and North America makes it an important site for a US ballistic missile defense system, while its mineral wealth has increased US interest in reducing dependence on Chinese exports.
Additional reporting by AP