Overseas Secretary David Lammy has performed down US president-elect Donald Trump’s threats to amass Greenland.
The Arctic territory is managed by Denmark however can be residence to a US navy base and in addition has oil drilling and mineral mining potential.
Trump has refused to rule out utilizing navy or financial drive to take over the territory in latest days and has repeatedly raised the problem since his first time period as president.
Lammy advised ORIONEWS Radio 4’s Right this moment programme that Trump’s phrases didn’t all the time match his actions.
The most recent row erupted after the president-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr, visited Greenland’s capital, Nuuk.
In response, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen advised Danish TV that “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders” and that solely the native inhabitants might decide its future.
Greenland is an autonomous territory, with its personal prime minister, however overseas coverage is set in cooperation with Denmark because it stays a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The King of Denmark additionally modified the royal coat of arms to extra prominently function Greenland this week, in what has been interpreted by some as a rebuke to Trump.
Germany and France have additionally weighed in to the row with sturdy statements in help of the sovereign borders of their fellow European Union and Nato member Denmark.
Requested whether or not the US must be allowed to purchase Greenland, Mr Lammy stated: “I feel that we all know from Donald Trump’s first time period is that the depth of his rhetoric and the unpredictability typically of what he stated could be destabilising.
“He did it with Nato. However in truth, in follow, he despatched extra troops to Europe below his administration.”
Lammy went on to say he was “certain” Trump recognises Greenland as part of the Kingdom of Denmark, including “I believe on Greenland what he is focusing on is his issues about Russia and China within the Arctic, his issues about nationwide financial safety”.
Requested how the UK would reply if the US tried to take Greenland by drive, the overseas secretary stated “It is not going to occur. No NATO allies have gone to battle”.