By Louise Rasmussen
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that “massive oil, gas and mineral exploration” was set to begin on Greenland, a contentious statement on a territory that has resisted his efforts to control it and has banned new drilling for crude. COPENHAGEN, – Denmark’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday if the US wished to explore Greenland’s resources, it would have to do so within the framework of the Arctic island’s legislation, adding that last month’s deal between the three parties did not change this.
The Greenlandic prime minister’s office declined to comment on Trump’s statement, while Greenland’s ministry of mineral resources did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Trump described the Danish Arctic island, which is run by a semi-autonomous government, as “our new and beautiful Greenland” in a social media post that hailed what he said were US gains from a security deal signed in September. The Danish foreign ministry said in a statement that “the agreement does not grant investors from the US any preferential treatment compared with investors from other NATO countries, EU countries and NATO partners when it comes to access to natural resources in Greenland. The government has said it is reviewing whether a Texas firm, Greenland Energy, can use permits predating that prohibition. Independent Danish security policy adviser Jacob Kaarsbo said Trump’s comments could be seen as a sign that his desire to control Greenland remained unchanged. “It is extremely dangerous to view this agreement between the Trump administration and Denmark as something that has altered Trump’s intentions,” he said.
