On September 19 (local time), Denmark welcomed the agreement announced by US President Donald Trump, according to which the US will have permanent control over security issues in Greenland, while Russia and China are prevented from establishing military bases on the Arctic island, according to AFP.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that Copenhagen hopes a binding agreement will end the period of uncertainty, while strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. He affirmed that the agreement respects Denmark's "red lines".
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen emphasized that the agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, while respecting the right to self-determination of the people of Greenland. Greenland's Chief Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also said that the agreement protects interests and strengthens security for the island.
The parties are expected to sign an agreement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week. However, specific details of the document have not yet been released, including the scale of military presence and the scope of US authority granted in Greenland.
Mr. Trump called this an "infinite" agreement, and declared that the US would quickly increase its military presence in Greenland. The US President also affirmed that from now on, no US opponent can set up bases, deploy forces or make sensitive investments in Greenland without written US approval.
According to a US State Department official, the agreement ensures that Russia and China cannot establish bases or send troops to Greenland, and establishes a mechanism to prevent investment in sensitive areas in the Arctic.
Meanwhile, Danish experts noted that Washington has not achieved its initial goal of gaining control of sovereignty over the entire Greenland. The island remains under the Kingdom of Denmark, while the new agreement focuses on security issues and the US military presence.
Greenland currently has the US Pituffik base in the north. Some sources say the US also wants to open 3 more military bases in the south of the island.
