“Yesterday in Washington, we held the first meeting at the level of high officials on the issue of Greenland,” he told reporters before the start of the meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the European Union in Brussels, according to HINA.
Things “were not resolved”, but “it went well, in a very constructive atmosphere and tone”, he emphasized, adding that further meetings were planned.
“I’m a little more optimistic today than I was a week ago,” he said.
The talks between Denmark, Greenland and the United States come after US President Donald Trump abandoned plans to take over the Arctic territory by force. Greenland is under the sovereignty of Denmark, a member of the EU and NATO.
Trump’s threats regarding Greenland have caused one of the most serious crises in the history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization since its establishment in 1949.
The American leader, however, indicated that last week on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he reached a framework agreement on Greenland with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. However, few concrete details about the content of this agreement have emerged. Denmark and Greenland have so far rejected any transfer of sovereignty, arguing that the Arctic territory is not for sale.
“I have stated this on several occasions, we certainly share the security concerns of the United States regarding the Arctic and it is an issue that we want to address through close cooperation,” Rasmussen confirmed.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his belief on Wednesday that a solution satisfactory to “everyone” can be found regarding Greenland.
“There will be technical meetings between us and our partners in Greenland and Denmark on this issue and I believe we have established a process that will lead to a positive outcome for everyone,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Donald Trump regularly claims that control over Greenland is key to US security and accuses Denmark, and the Europeans more broadly, of not adequately protecting this strategic territory from the ambitions of Russia and China.
(Vijesti.ba)
