
- Greenland鈥檚 political leaders denounced US President Donald Trump鈥檚 vow to take over the island.
- Outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen rejected Trump鈥檚 remarks.
- Greenland鈥檚 leaders emphasised unity and continued diplomatic efforts, rejecting attempts to create division.
The leaders of all Greenland鈥檚 political parties on Friday denounced US President Donald Trump鈥檚 vow to take over the Danish autonomous island.
鈥淲e 鈥 all party leaders 鈥 cannot accept the repeated statements about annexation and control of Greenland,鈥 the leaders of Greenland鈥檚 five parliamentary parties said in a joint statement posted on Facebook.
鈥淲e as party leaders find this behaviour unacceptable towards friends and allies in a defence alliance,鈥 they said, following an emergency meeting.
The party leaders added that they 鈥渕ust emphasise that Greenland continues the work for Greenland that is already under way through diplomatic channels in accordance with international laws and regulations.
鈥淲e all stand behind these efforts and strongly reject attempts to create division,鈥 they said.
Asked by reporters in the White House Thursday about taking over the island, Trump said: 鈥淚 think it will happen.鈥
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, who was meeting him at the time, refused to be drawn.
Greenland鈥檚 outgoing Prime Minister Mute Egede responded by saying 鈥渆nough is enough鈥.
鈥淭his time we need to toughen our rejection of Trump. People cannot continue to disrespect us,鈥 Egede wrote on Facebook on Thursday.
Egede continues to lead Greenland while awaiting the formation of a new Government after his party鈥檚 defeat in elections on Tuesday.
鈥淭he American President has once again evoked the idea of annexing us. I absolutely cannot accept that,鈥 he wrote adding that he would convene the leaders of the territory鈥檚 parties.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen also pushed back Friday on Trump鈥檚 latest remarks, saying the Danish autonomous island could not be taken over by another country.
鈥淚f you look at the Nato treaty, the UN charter or international law, Greenland is not open to annexation,鈥 Lokke told reporters.
The top diplomat said 鈥淚 see no indication in the Greenland elections that people want to leave the kingdom to become Americans鈥.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, leader of Greenland鈥檚 election winning centre-right Democrats and likely future Greenlandic prime minister, also criticised Trump鈥檚 statement.
鈥淭rump鈥檚 statement from the US is inappropriate and just shows once again that we must stand together in such situations,鈥 Nielsen said in a post to Facebook.
In his first stint as US President, Trump had evoked the idea of buying Greenland from Denmark 鈥 an idea rejected by both Copenhagen and Greenlanders.
Since returning to power this year, Trump has stepped up his quest to acquire the territory, but in much more bellicose terms.
Trump claims the US needs to own Greenland for its own security.
According to polls, most Greenlanders support independence from Denmark but not annexation by Washington.
鈥 Agence France-Presse
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you
Get the iHeart App
Get more of the radio, music and podcasts you love with the FREE iHeartRadio app. Scan the QR code to download now.
Download from the app stores
Stream unlimited music, thousands of radio stations and podcasts all in one app. iHeartRadio is easy to use and all FREE