Iceland’s prime minister welcomes Greenland defence agreement
Iceland Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir has welcomed an agreement between Greenland, Denmark and the United States to increase cooperation on defence and security in the Arctic, mbl.is reports.
She described the agreement as a positive outcome after months of tensions. Frostadóttir is in New York attending the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of Iceland alongside Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir.
“Iceland has firmly supported the Greenlanders’ right to self-determination and Denmark’s sovereignty, while also welcoming increased US interest in strengthening defence in our part of the world,” Frostadóttir wrote in a Facebook post. “That is why the defence agreement presented today is a positive outcome after the tensions of recent months.”
US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the agreement in New York on Tuesday. It provides for an increased US military presence in Greenland and is intended to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. It also emphasises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Danish state and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.
The agreement follows months of talks between the three countries and comes after tensions over Trump’s interest in Greenland and previous statements that the United States should take control of the island.
Frostadóttir also said it was a unique experience to attend the General Assembly and that she had used her stay for meetings and discussions with numerous leaders. She said Iceland had an interest in strengthening the United Nations and ensuring respect for international law.
“The freedom and sovereignty of Icelanders rests first and foremost on respect for international law and the fundamental ideals of the United Nations,” she wrote.
She added that developments in international affairs and statements by world leaders could often cause concern, but that good things usually happened slowly.