The working group has not finished its work, but Mette Frederiksen is “quite optimistic”.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) is “quite optimistic” in relation to finding a solution with the US on Greenland.
She says this at a press conference in Finland. Here, on Monday, she participated in a European summit with a focus on security in the Arctic.
– We have agreed to start a high-level working group on closer cooperation on security and defense also in Greenland.
– As long as the working group between Greenland, Denmark and the USA continues its work, it is too early to draw a conclusion. But I am quite optimistic that we will succeed in finding a way, says Mette Frederiksen.
She visited Greenland herself last week together with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Here, Denmark is part of a group of a total of ten NATO countries, which are in the process of a joint military exercise, which is to emphasize that Denmark and NATO take care of the security in Greenland and the Arctic.
It has been one of Trump’s criticisms that Denmark has not done enough for the security of Greenland in light of the threat from Russia and China.
In the first weeks of September, however, 400 soldiers from ten NATO countries are on land, at sea and in the air around the settlements of Narsarsuaq and Kangerlussuaq in Greenland.
Here they train to operate in the Arctic as part of NATO’s overall military surveillance and deterrence mission with the name “Arctic Sentry”, which can be translated as “Arctic Sentinel” in Danish.
Newspaper: The US wants three bases in Greenland
In addition to increasing the presence themselves, Denmark and Greenland are discussing in the working group options for giving the USA increased access to Greenland.
The New York Times was able to reveal this spring, based on American sources, that the USA wants three bases in Greenland as part of a possible agreement.
Narsarsuaq and Kangerlussuaq, which are also part of the “Arctic Shield” exercise, should be on the US list of possibilities, according to the newspaper.
However, Minister of Defense Jeppe Bruus (S) did not wish to comment on the discussions last week when he himself visited Narsarsuaq.
– I cannot comment on that. What takes place in that working group takes place in that working group, Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus told Ritzau last week.
– But it is true that we extend the life of the airport in Narsarsuaq, if we can get support for it in the Folketing. It is of course because, as part of Nato, we are looking at the possibilities that are available, said Jeppe Bruus, referring to the fact that the airport was to be extended by a year.
Narsarsuaq in play
Question: This is a one-year extension of the airport in Narsarsuaq. Any thoughts on it lasting longer than that?
– Initially, it is a one-year extension. It gives us the opportunity to extend the playing field, said Jeppe Bruus.
Defense chief Michael Hyldgaard said last week about Narsarsuaq as a possible American base:
– Narsarsuaq is located in the southern part of Greenland. In relation to transatlantic movement and movements out into the GIUK gap and operations in the Danmarksstrædet, it will be an obvious place.
– And it is a place the US has used before, said Michael Hyldgaard, referring to the fact that the US had a military base in Narsarsuaq from July 1941 to November 1958.
The GIUK gap is the name for the sea area between Greenland, Iceland and Great Britain.
It acts as a crucial military bottleneck in the North Atlantic, where Nato can monitor and block Russian submarines heading towards the Atlantic.
RITZAU
