The Prime Minister of Greenland, a huge ore-rich Arctic territory that is part of Denmark, said today that its residents do not want to be Americans, but that he understands the interest of the President-elect of the United States of America (USA) Donald Trump in the island given its strategic location and that is open to deeper cooperation with Washington.
Greenland is an autonomous region of Denmark and is located northeast of the USA and northwest of Europe and Denmark, the country of the European Union (EU) to which the island belongs. Recently, Trump stated that he does not rule out economic pressure or even military force to make Greenland part of the US, because it is allegedly a "matter of national security".
Prime Minister Mut B. Eged said that Greenland is certainly part of the North American continent and "a place that Americans see as part of their world".
He also said that he has not spoken with Trump, but that he is open to discussions on "what unites us".
"Cooperation is about dialogue. Cooperation means working in the direction of finding solutions," said Eged.
The leader of Greenland stands for the independence of Greenland and sees Denmark as a colonial power that does not always treat its local population, the Inuit, properly.
"Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland. We don't want to be either Danes or Americans. We want to be Greenlanders," Eged said at a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Copenhagen.
Trump's desire for Greenland has ignited consternation in Denmark and across Europe.
The US is a transatlantic military and political ally of the European Union and a leading member of the NATO alliance, so many Europeans were shocked by the suggestion of the elected American leader that he was considering even the slightest possibility of using force against an ally.
Fredriksen said she sees a positive aspect to the Greenland discussion.
"The debate about Greenland's independence and the latest announcements from the US show great interest in Greenland. Those events have triggered many thoughts and feelings of many in Greenland and in Denmark," she said, adding: "The US is our closest ally, and we will do everything to continue a strong cooperation".
The two leaders made statements at a regular meeting of Denmark and its two autonomous territories - the Faroe Islands and Greenland - and the meeting was not organized due to Trump's appearance.
Only 57.000 people live in Greenland, but it is the largest island in the world, covered in snow and ice, rich in oil, gas and rare minerals. It is a strategic location in the Arctic where Russia, China and other countries want to expand their influence as climate change leads to melting ice.
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