Both the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland are soon to leave for Washington on an unusual joint mission as United States President Donald Trump again reiterated his provocative claim that the United States should govern Greenland, the Arctic island.
The delegation had scheduled meetings with the US Vice President, JD Vance, as well as the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, at the White House. Apparently, the topic of the meeting would be the status of Greenland as an autonomous body inside the Kingdom of Denmark, a NATO ally of the United States.
“It’s a part of Denmark, “and it is under the protection of NATO, which is not going to be negotiable, “and it is named Greenland, “which is a territory of Denmark. “Denmark, as well as this territory of Denmark named Greenland, have already declared that it is a part of Denmark. “It is under NATO’s protection, “and it
Anxiety and Uncertainty in Copenhagen
Denmark is on the brink of tough preparations for the negotiations that are yet to begin. According to Copenhagen-based journalists on the scene, the impression that lingers currently is that the nation might well find itself confronted with the severest possible threat since World War II.
Danish officials’ hope is based on the experience that their foreign minister possesses as an experienced negotiator. Their hope is that this event might change the future of Denmark as well as the future of the overall Western security system.
Some European believe this may be a “turning point” in which the unity of NATO, or the unity of a new era of alliances, may be realigned because there is more instability in the world today than ever before.
How much room left for diplomacy?
But underlying the crisis is the chilling question of whether the diplomatic option is still adequate.
It can be said, from the viewpoint of Copenhagen, the U.S. enjoys an unparalleled degree of access in Greenland, which stretches from military bases to intelligence, trading, and prospecting rights. According to the arguments made by Copenhagen, the best policy for the U.S. would be to have friendly co-operation, rather than conflict.
However, a great many Danes do think that there is more to Trump’s position on the issue than just security concerns. It seems that ever more people think that days are gone when this issue was about access or cooperation; this is an issue about ownership, and if the US President is dead set on ‘owning’ Greenland, perhaps customary diplomatic channels are inadequate.
Greenland chooses Denmark – at least for now
Greenland’s prime minister has stated that Greenland would have a preference for Denmark over the United States, and this message of togetherness is present as the delegation is about to travel to Washington. Presently, it would appear that this message has got Greenland closer to Copenhagen.
However, some outstanding long-term questions exist as well. There is a strong independence movement in Greenland, and this could come into conflict if Washington offers a strong economic package directly to the people of Greenland.
Until now, the Greenlandic government has turned down these offers. The prime minister has rejected the offer of direct negotiations with the Americans and stated instead that Greenland and Denmark would enter the White House together and also exit together.
ALSO READ: Defense Ministry starts review of 114-Jet Rafale mega deal
Arctic cooperation as a pressure valve
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has stated that she would like to have better cooperation in the Arctic region with the US that can extend to cooperation on security-related issues as well. In fact, they are spending quite heavily on ensuring that they have their forces in Greenland.
Copenhagen also hopes that enhanced cooperation with the European Union can help relax tensions and prove the worth of collective security in the Arctic.
Nevertheless, there is a level of concern. While cooperation has always been shown to be beneficial, there are fears that this may not satisfy the leadership in American society, which appears to be fixated on the idea of sovereignty.
A defining moment for the Arctic and the West
With the leaders of Denmark and Greenland en route to Washington, there may be nothing more at stake. The dialogue scheduled to take place is about to test diplomacy, politics in relations to alliance, and, most importantly, borders and sovereignty.
As regards what actually lies within the Danish and Greenlandic messages, it is clear that they are seeking cooperation and a partnership, although Greenland is definitely not up for sale. So whether this kind of message has any chance of defusing what has been described as one of the most surreal crises in recent Arctic history is very much a question of how much common sense left in the White House.
FOR MORE: https://civiclens.in/category/international-news/
About the Author
