Greenlanders do not want to be American or Danish, the Arctic island’s prime minister Mute Egede has said, after US President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out using military force to acquire the territory, reports Al Jazeera.
Mute Egede, who had insisted the territory was “not for sale” after Trump flagged his “ownership and control” intentions last month, expressed his openness to engage with the United States at a news conference in Copenhagen on Friday.
However, he also underlined Greenland’s independence aspirations, which have gained momentum in recent years as Danish colonial abuses against the predominantly Inuit population have come to light.
“Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic,” he said at a news conference alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“We have a desire for independence, a desire to be the master of our own house … This is something everyone should respect,” said Egede.
“But that doesn’t mean we are cutting all ties, all cooperation and all relations with Denmark,” he added.
He also noted that Greenland is part of the North American continent, and “a place that the Americans see as part of their world”. He said he was open to holding talks with Trump about what “unites us”.
“Cooperation is about dialogue. Cooperation means that you will work towards solutions,” he said.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who also attended the news conference, said, “The debate on Greenlandic independence and the latest announcements from the US show us the large interest in Greenland. Events which set in motion a lot of thoughts and feelings with many in Greenland and Denmark.
“The US is our closest ally, and we will do everything to continue a strong cooperation,” she said.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
