Landry's Greeting on Greenland's National Day
The reactions are critical after the US special envoy for Greenland’s National Day floated the idea of adding another US state next year.
It was a somewhat alternative form of greeting for Greenland’s National Day, which US special envoy Jeff Landry shared on Facebook on June 21.
“May this day be a reminder of the rich culture, traditions and values that characterize your heritage,” he wrote, and continued:
“As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary of independence, we join in celebrating freedom and opportunity.
“Perhaps the 251st birthday of the United States can be celebrated with the addition of the country’s 51st state!”
According to Múte B. Egede, Minister for Foreign Affairs, it is important to keep an eye on the diplomatic track that is underway with the United States.
“We need to focus on the diplomatic track and not so much on the noise around us,” he said during a press conference on Monday.
It has been six months since a working group was set up to try to find solutions to the conflict between Greenland, Denmark and the US.
A journalist at the press conference asked what it means that Landry’s comment falls on the national day.
“It says more about him, and I think it is disrespectful,” says the Minister.
‘Unnecessary Noise’
Chairman of the Foreign and Security Policy Committee in Greenland’s Parliament Pipaluk Lynge also criticizes the statement from the US special envoy.
“It shows very clearly what they (the US, ed.) want with Greenland.
“On the other hand, he is not part of the working group that has been set up. That makes me feel safe, and then we must hope that they find a solution there,” she said.
If you ask Naaja H. Nathanielsen, who is a member of parliament for Inuit Ataqatigiit, Jeff Landry’s greeting is neither a de- nor an escalation of the current situation.
“It is unnecessary noise. They show that they are not listening when we say that we do not want to be Americans. So it is a tone-deaf statement,” she says.
However, it is not unexpected that such a greeting comes from Landry.
On the other hand, according to Naaja H. Nathanielsen, we should stop expecting anything else from ‘those on the fringes’.
“He (Landry, ed.) is not part of the diplomatic debate about this high level working group. He does not speak on behalf of the official USA, as I understand it. So his role is unclear,” she added.
Up to the Greenlanders
Qarsoq Høegh-Dam, member of parliament for Naleraq, repeats the message that the future of Greenland is for the Greenlanders to decide.
“There should be no pressure from outside. It is entirely up to the Greenlandic people, and all parties, regardless of which party you belong to, have repeatedly said that we do not want to be Americans. We do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” he says.
‘The Kingdom’s relationship with the USA’ was at the top of the agenda when there was a meeting in the Foreign Policy Committee in the Folketing last week.
At the confidential meeting, information was provided about the kingdom, said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen on a doorstep after the meeting.
Here he briefly touched on the working group that was set up in January.
“We have agreed—and that was the whole idea of the visit to Washington in January—to lower the temperature and move this from a public heated debate to a room where you can talk about it in an adult and detailed way.
“What I can say is that a series of meetings have been held. More meetings are needed. We are not there yet, but it is a good process,” said Lars Løkke Rasmussen.
Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked during a hearing in the House of Representatives whether he was aware that Greenland is part of Denmark.
“For now,” he replied.
During the hearing, he also said that the ongoing negotiations between the US and Greenland and Denmark are “in a good place”.
Source: KNR (in Danish)