Greenland parliament approves security deal with US, Denmark

Lawmakers vote 16-0 for trilateral agreement signed in September, while seven abstained.Lawmakers in the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland have approved an agreement with Denmark and the United States aimed at bolstering security in the Arctic and North Atlantic.The deal was passed 16-0 on Tuesday, with seven lawmakers abstaining.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3US signs ‘tremendous’ security deal with Denmark and Greenlandlist 2 of 3Why does Greenland matter to the US?list 3 of 3Greenland’s delegation gets hero’s welcome after signing US-Denmark pactend of listThe agreement was signed in September by US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.It followed months of negotiations behind the scenes amid growing tensions over Trump’s repeated threats to seize the vast, resource-rich Arctic island.Greenlandic Foreign Minister Mute Egede said the ratification was another important step for the self-governing island.“The road to this point has been ⁠a difficult one for us as ⁠a people. But we have stood firm on our fundamental principles, chosen dialogue and taken responsibility for our country’s interests,” he wrote in a ⁠post on Facebook.“This is about all of us. The Greenland we love. ⁠About our security. And about our ⁠right to shape our own future,” he said.An aerial view of houses and apartment buildings in Nuuk, Greenland [File: Sean Gallup/Getty Images]Located between Europe and North America, Greenland is the world’s largest island, with a population of 57,000 people.Trump’s refusal last year to rule out a military invasion had caused fear among Greenlanders, the majority of whom rejected US control, according to opinion polls.The trilateral deal paves the way for more US bases on Greenland. It also allows the US to “modernise and expand” its activities at the Pituffik Space Base, a remote US military installation in northwest Greenland.Under its terms, Greenland will remain under Danish control – but the agreement would still apply if the island eventually chooses independence.The deal stipulates it will only “enter into force” once the “necessary parliamentary processes of the Kingdom of Denmark, in conjunction with Greenland, have been completed”.Danish lawmakers are set to debate it later this month, while no approval is required from the US Senate.