Greenland Says U.S. Talks Make Progress But Island is Not for Sale

AP

Greenland.

Greenland’s government said on Monday that progress had been made in high-stakes discussions with the United States regarding the territory’s future, while stressing that the vast Arctic island sought by U.S. President Donald Trump would never be for sale.

U.S. special envoy Jeff Landry, appointed by President Trump last year to advance American efforts to secure control over Greenland, arrived in Nuuk on Sunday and met on Monday with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Foreign Minister Mute Egede.

"We believe there is progress, and from Greenland's side we are focused on finding ⁠a solution that is good for us all, and most importantly that threats of annexation, takeover or a purchase of Greenland and the Greenlandic people does not occur," Nielsen told reporters after meeting with Landry.

There was no immediate statement from Landry who told local media on Sunday he was there to "listen and learn".

The U.S. President's assertion that the U.S. must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, has sparked tension between Washington and Copenhagen, both founding NATO members, and more broadly across ‌Europe.

"They ⁠asked for a meeting, and we've explained our situation and standpoint, and that we have some red lines - we will not sell Greenland, we will own Greenland for all time," Egede said.

In an effort to ease tensions, Greenland, Denmark and the United States agreed earlier this year to hold high-level diplomatic talks aimed at resolving the dispute, although the outcome of the ongoing negotiations has not yet been announced.

The United States is seeking to expand its military presence in Greenland and incorporate the territory into President Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system against nuclear threats.

Washington currently operates one active military installation in Greenland — the Pituffik Space Base in the island’s northwest. This is significantly fewer than the roughly 17 U.S. facilities that existed in 1945, when thousands of American personnel were stationed across the island.

Source: Reuters



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