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Greenland strengthens Danish links as it seeks independence

Greenland strengthens Danish links as it seeks independence

Greenland's new prime minister said on Monday that it will continue to strengthen its relationship with Denmark until the island can become a sovereign country. He noted that the semiautonomous Danish territory eventually wants to be independent.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen (33), was sworn-in as Prime Minister of Greenland, Friday. He will lead a coalition government made up of four parties, despite the challenges presented by U.S. president Donald Trump's ambitions for control over the island.

Nielsen stated, "We are currently in the Kingdom Denmark and we must continue to strengthen our relationship, our partnership, until we become a sovereign country."

He added, "We're building on a strong relationship with Denmark until we become sovereign."

He said Greenland was interested in a partnership based on respect for each other with the United States.

"Greenland won't ever be part of America... We want trade." We do want to have a strong relationship on national security but in a respectful way. Nielsen stated that "we will never sell ourselves and will never become Americans."

Nielsen was asked about the comment made on Friday by U.S. vice president JD Vance that Denmark did not do a good enough job in keeping Greenland secure.

"Right Now, we are in the phase of building them up and we need solutions together."

Vance, who visited a U.S. base in northern Greenland last Friday, accused Denmark of failing to protect the island. The Danish have controlled Greenland's strategic location since 1721.

"We don't wish to be Americans." In the future, we don't want to be Danes either. We want to be independently. Nielsen continued, "But right now, we're part of the kingdom of Denmark. That's what's going on." (Reporting and writing by Tom Little, in Nuuk; editing by Sandra Maler).

(source: Reuters)