NATO to play leading role in Greenland deal: Denmark

NEW YORK

NATO would play a leading role in Arctic security under a planned agreement between Denmark, Greenland and the United States, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said.

The three governments are expected to sign the deal on Sept. 22 on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. It must then undergo the necessary parliamentary procedures before taking effect.

Rasmussen told Danish broadcaster TV2 on Sept. 20 that responsibility for Arctic security would extend beyond Denmark and the United States.

To a large extent, “it would be NATO that looks after the Arctic,” he said.

Rasmussen, who is attending the General Assembly in New York, welcomed the agreement and said he hoped it would reassure Greenlanders. He declined to give further details.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced the agreement on Sept. 18, saying it gave Washington “permanent control” over security in Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. The agreement’s full terms have not been published.

Trump’s earlier demands to bring the island under U.S. control strained relations with Denmark and alarmed Greenlanders.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement recognized the kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.