The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have urged US President Donald Trump to stop threatening to take over Greenland.<\/p>\n
Mr Trump reiterated controversial remarks expressing interest in the strategic Arctic territory in an interview with The Atlantic magazine.<\/p>\n
“We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defence,” he told the magazine.<\/p>\n
Mr Trump made the comments a day after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro and the US president said Washington would “run” the Latin American country.<\/p>\n
This raised concerns in Denmark that the same could happen with Greenland, a Danish territory.<\/p>\n
“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing to take over Greenland,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement on Sunday.<\/p>\n
“The US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish Kingdom.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Denmark has told Mr Trump to back off from Greenland. (Reuters: Guglielmo Mangiapane)<\/p>\n
“I would therefore strongly urge the US stop the threats against a historically close ally and against another country and another people, who have very clearly said that they are not for sale.”<\/p>\n
The prime minister of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said in a statement also on Sunday: “When the President of the United States says that ‘we need Greenland’ and links us to Venezuela and military intervention, it’s not just wrong\u2026 it’s disrespectful.”<\/p>\n
Strategically important island<\/p>\n
Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory with a population of roughly 57,000, occupies a pivotal position between North America and Europe.<\/p>\n
Greenland has rich untapped mineral resources and oil and gas, but development has been slow.<\/p>\n
It is becoming easier to sail ships through Arctic waters between Europe, Russia and North America because ice is melting in the Arctic due to ongoing warming of the Earth’s surface and oceans.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Joint military drills in Greenland last year. (Reuters: Guglielmo Mangiapane)<\/p>\n
Mr Trump on December 21 named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, drawing renewed criticism from Denmark and Greenland over Washington’s interest, as the US hopes to reduce its reliance on Chinese exports.<\/p>\n
Mr Trump has advocated for Greenland to become part of the United States and Mr Landry publicly supports the idea.<\/p>\n
The US president has not clarified how or when he aims to annex it.<\/p>\n
The Arctic island’s strategic position also makes it a key site for the US military.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Greenland sits in one of the most strategically important regions in the world. (Reuters: Guglielmo Mangiapane)<\/p>\n
Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, when it was redefined as a district of Denmark.<\/p>\n
Greenland has the right to declare independence under a 2009 agreement but depends heavily on Danish subsidies.<\/p>\n
Denmark has sought to repair strained ties with Greenland over the past year, while also trying to ease tensions with the Trump administration by investing in Arctic defence.<\/p>\n
All five political parties in Greenland’s parliament have said they do not want the territory to become part of the US.\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Denmark owns and runs Greenland as a semi-autonomous territory. (Reuters: Sarah Meyssonnier)<\/p>\n
Long history of US interest<\/p>\n
American interest in Greenland stretches back to the 19th century.<\/p>\n
In 1865, US secretary of state William H. Seward floated the idea of buying Greenland and Iceland from Denmark, shortly after the United States acquired Alaska from Russia.<\/p>\n
Negotiations followed, but no agreement was reached.<\/p>\n
The question resurfaced during World War II, when the US occupied Greenland in the interests of national security after Nazi Germany took control of Denmark.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The arrangement ended in 1949, when Denmark joined NATO and Washington agreed to give up any claim to remain.<\/p>\n
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